Breaking point
by luli27
Summary: We all have our breaking point. It might have taken longer, but he finally reached his. BB, angst. And now, fluff and smut!
1. Chapter 1

**Breaking Point**

**Disclaimer**: Neither Bones nor any of its characters belong to me. Though I wouldn't mind taking Booth out of Fox's hand if he gets to be too much for them :)

**A/N:** This is my first Bones fic and my the first fic I've posted in quite a while because real life got in the way. I am planning of finishing my other stories soon, but I've become a Bones addict. I just found the show less than a month ago and can't get enough of it. This was kind of inspired by goldpiece's "The Reality of Things". That last chapter when Bones is tempted to go out with Sully just got me thinking about how Booth would react if he saw them and then that thought grew into how Angela would react and somehow that turned into this. I don't think this will be a one shot because I know what will happen when Angela talks to Booth. But let me know what you think and if I should continue and fix everything at the end or leave them broken. This is not only my first Bones fic but also my first angs, I usually don't like reading them and I don't like writing them, but this just wrote itself and I had to put it on paper.

He looked at her with resignation and a sad smile. "I am going to miss you and us," he said softly.

"What?" Temperance asked in alarm as her eyes widen. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that I can't keep doing this, Temperance." He answered with that same resignation that was starting to scare her. "Especially when it's clear that you're ready to give up and move on."

"What are you talking about?!" She demanded getting frustrated and angry as well as scared. "I know that we're having some problems . . ."

"We?" He demanded, getting somewhat angry himself.

Temperance looked at him for a few seconds and then rather ungraciously gave a sigh and said, "Fine, _I_, I have some problems that I have to work through but you knew that when we started this and you said you had no problems with it."

But Seeley was already shaking his head before she finished. "I have no problems working through problems with you or waiting for you to work through them by yourself. I do have a problem when you stop working through them and are apparently more than happy to flirt with other men."

"Flirting? I was not flirting, I was just talking. And if you've stopped being so damn possessive and such an alpha male. . ."

"Stop," Seeley said so quietly that Temperance was surprised into silence. "You are not that clueless – not now and you won't draw me into another useless argument about my so called alpha male tendencies. I _saw_ how you looked at guy, Temperance. And if you can have that look in your eyes when you look at another guy, then . . ." He sighed and shook his head. "I can't keep doing this," he repeated in such a sad, resigned and tired voice that Angela, who had come to the restaurant with the couple and had been listening to the argument, felt her heart break a little for him. "I won't keep doing this," he said in a voice a little stronger. He then sighed again and asked, "Oh, what's the use? You're not going to listen to anything I say now." He shook his head and said, "I'll see you later." And with that, he left

A somewhat awkward silence descended on the table as the two friends watched Booth leave the restaurant. Brennan finally turned to look at Angela only to find that her friend was getting ready to leave and go after Booth.

"Angela? What are you doing?" She asked, surprised.

"I'm going to try and catch him," Angela answered as if it was obvious, which it was but Brennan still couldn't understand why she was doing it.

"Why?"

"Because he needs someone right now," Angela answered matter of factly as she pushed back from the table.

"What about me?" Brennan asked, incredulous. "_I'm_ the one that's just got dumped!"

Angela paused in mid-rise before continuing to rise as she answered. "That wasn't you getting dumped. That was Booth trying to protect what he can of his heart."

"Oh, please," Brennan snorted. "Don't be so melodramatic. If he would just control those alpha male. . ."

"Could you _please_," Angela interrupted. "Stop with the alpha male tendencies argument! If you didn't like those tendencies, then you should have stayed away from him. You knew he had them since day one. And I'm willing to bet that if he didn't those tendencies you wouldn't have given him the time of day and that they are one of the biggest reasons you fell for him. Face it, you're alpha yourself and could walk over any one that wasn't as strong as you. And I was _not_ being melodramatic. You may not have seen his face but he's devastated and he needs some support."

"What about me?" Brennan asked again, so surprised at Angela's uncharacteristic reaction that she made an appeal she had never made before. "You're _my_ friend and _I_ need your help, too."

"Not as much as he does," Angela answered in one of the coldest voice Brennan had ever heard from her. "And he's my friend too. So, if you excuse me."

She hesitated, wanting to run after Booth and debating whether to take the time to tell Brennan what she thought of her recent behavior. At the end she was so mad about how her friend had been treating Booth that she couldn't keep quite. "You know, that man has done nothing but stand by you since he met you. He's defended you and fought for you. He's supported you through everything, he understands all your hung ups and neuroses," Angela ignored Brennan's sputter and continued talking.

"He's waited for you to come to terms with your feelings and has withstood everything you've thrown at him. He's respected and encouraged your independence and yet is there if you need him. He knows and understands you better than even me. He's risked his career and life more times than either of us probably knows. After my father and Hodgins, he's the best man I know and he's the best damn thing that has ever happened to you." She stopped for a breath before continuing, "But the only thing you've done since you met him is fight him every step of the way and run away more times than I can count. I don't know what goes on in that brilliant head of yours, but if you push someone far enough, sooner of later they're going to break. I guess you finally found Booth's breaking point." With that she turned around and took a few steps away from the table.

Before she went too far though, she stopped and returned because she found she still had more to say. "You know what just happened here?" She waved with her hand to indicate Booth walking out. "That wasn't you getting dumped that was Booth giving up. I never thought I'd see the day when Seeley Booth would give up on anything – especially on you. But I guess Dr. Brennan just had to prove us all wrong." Angela shook her head again and with a sad sigh said, "I hope you're happy now." And with a last look at a stupefied Brennan she turned around and tried to catch up to Booth.

**A/N**: please review and let me know if you liked it. Also, I hope goldpiece is not offended in any way and I hope this does not in any way conflict with her story, though it shouldn't.


	2. Chapter 2

**Breaking Point**

**Disclaimer: **Neither Bones nor its characters belong to me, though I'd love to at least borrow Booth for a little while :)

**Chapter 2**

Angela hurried out of the restaurant, hoping that she hadn't taken so long that Booth would have already left. But when she got to the parking lot, she saw that he was standing by his SUV with the keys in his hand, looking like he didn't know what to do with them. She hurried to catch up to him, wondering what she was going to tell him that could possibly make him feel better.

When she was standing next to him, she put her hand on his arm and said, "Booth?" He didn't answer and she called him again, "Booth?"

He finally looked up, looking like was coming out of a trance, "Angela?" He shook his head and Angela saw him visibly try to pull himself together. "I drove tonight, didn't I?" He asked with a smile that resembled more a grimace than anything else.

"Yes," she answered, nodding her head.

"You think you could call Hodgins and ask him to pick you up?" He asked. "I'm sorry, I know I should take you guys home but I . . . I just need to get out of here." He explained.

"Don't worry about it," Angela said waving aside the apology and explanation. "I'll call Jack and he'll be here soon. But are _you_ ok to drive?" She asked because she had never seen him look like that before. He looked defeated and if there was a word that she had never thought she would apply to Seely Booth, it was defeat. He always seem so sure of himself, always so certain that there had to be a way out, always so strong that it was disconcerting to see him look so lost and broken. She did not know how to deal with a vanquished and resigned Booth.

"I'll be fine, Angela. Don't worry," he answered with a half smile that looked nothing like his usual.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry," she said after a slight hesitation. She wasn't sure whether he wanted to talk but Angela had never been one to keep silent when she had something to say.

"Me too, Angela, me too." Booth answered as he shifted his gaze to the entrance of the restaurant.

"Booth, are you sure?" She asked, slowly feeling her way.

He gave a small laugh that was more bitter than humorous. "Am I sure?" He repeated shaking his head. "Hell, Angela, I think that about the only thing I'm sure of right now is my name and even that is iffy."

"Then could you have overreacted?" she asked because regardless of what she had told Brennan and however mad she was at her, Angela knew the two loved each other and she couldn't bear to see them end like this. She knew that neither would be the same if they couldn't find a way to mend things between them and though she did think Brennan had pushed him too far, she wanted him to be receptive when Brennan came to her senses.

"Overreacted?" He asked, incredulous. "Didn't you see how she was looking at that guy?"

Angela shook her head, "No, not really." And she hadn't, she had only seen Booth's reaction to whatever Brennan had done. "But you're not really going to call it quits because of a look, are you? After everything you've gone through?"

"No, of course not. That was just the straw that broke the camel's back," he answered, thinking how if he said that to Bones, she would have no idea what he meant.

"Well, then, maybe you two could talk. Booth, you know Brennan, sometimes she just . . ."

"No, please Angela," Booth interrupted her, putting his hand up to stop her. "I don't want to hear more excuses."

"It's not an excuse." She argued. "It's an . . ."

"An explanation," he said, interrupting her again. "a rationalization. At the end, it's all the same, believe me. And I'm tired of them; I'm tired of hearing them and of coming up with them. Sometimes, it seems like all I've done in this relationship is come up with ways to rationalize or explain her behavior." He paused and he shifted so that he could lean his shoulder on the SUV. "I just thought that we were past all that, you know. I thought we finally reached a place where they weren't needed anymore."

"Booth," she said after a few moments where she thought of what she could say, finally coming back to the same explanation. "She's probably just . . ."

"Scared. I know." He finished her thought. "And it probably doesn't have much to do with me directly as much as with her past. I know that too."

"Well, then?" She asked. "What's different now? I mean, you've always known of her problems with the past. And you've never had any problems with it; you've always understood."

"I know, and I don't have a problem with giving her time to work through things or working through them together. But, it's different this time. I'm not sure how, but it's just like she's not there anymore." He sighed and pushed his hand through his hair. He was trying to explain something he himself didn't really understand because it had only began to become clear in the past few days. "Before I could feel her, no matter what was going on – regardless of how scared she was, she was _there_. I knew she was fighting her demons and that she was with me, that she wanted us and was willing to work for it. Sure, she retreated sometimes and I had to pull her back, but I still felt her with me, you know. Even if she wasn't 100 percent there, I could feel that she wanted to be there. I could feel our connection." He paused to sigh again before saying in a frustrated voice, "I'm not explaining this right."

"No, you're explaining it just right." Angela disagreed. "I know what you mean. When you love someone and they love you, you can feel it. I feel the same with Jack. And the connection you guys share is strong – heck, we all feel it."

Booth nodded and went on. "But that's the thing, Angela. I can barely feel that connection anymore. I mean, it's been there practically since the moment we met and from one moment to the next," He paused and shook his head as he extended his hand as if to grasp something that wasn't there. "It's almost like it is fading. I try to hold on and I can't and the harder I try, it seems the faster it fades. It's like trying to hold sand or water in your hand – you can't. And I don't know why. I don't what happened, if it was something I did or not, because she won't talk to me. She won't tell me what's going on.

And it's not just right now; this, whatever it is, has been going for at least three months. She's been steadily but surely pulling back and no matter what I do, I can't bring her back – it's almost like she doesn't want to come back. We're barely spending any time together outside of work nowadays. She won't come to dinner or lunch with me because there's too much work at the lab; we don't have breakfast together because she hasn't stayed over in over a month and every time I'm at her place and even hint of staying, she's practically pushing me out of the door. Hell, she's even choosing to stay at the lab instead of coming out into the field, and I got tired of always fighting to get her out. The only reason she came out to dinner tonight was because you forced her. I can't even do that anymore."

Booth paused for a moment and Angela nodded to show that she understood what he was saying. They've all noticed that Brennan hadn't been herself lately; that she was pulling further and further away from everyone and no one had been able to get her to talk. That was why Angela was so mad at her.

"I know, we've all noticed it." She said. "I guess I just figured it was a phase and it would pass."

"Yeah, me too." He said in a weary voice. "But it's not going, it seems to be here to stay. And I'm tired of it, Angela. I'm so tired of always having to fight for every inch she gives and then having to fight to keep it; it's like for every two steps forward we take, she takes one and half back. And I'm just . . .I'm just tired," he repeated. "I'm on the verge of being sick and tired of it. I mean I know relationships are work; and they should be. Nothing worthwhile should be free and I'm not afraid of hard work.

But this, this has become back-breaking, heart-aching, soul-destroying work. And I don't think I can keep doing it, especially if I'm the one doing all the work and she no longer has an interest in doing her part." Booth stopped, closed his eyes and tilted his head back to try and regain the control he's been steadily loosing since he started to pour his heart out to Angela.

"She loves you, Booth," Angela finally said, not knowing what else to tell him. She could see he was emotionally spent and she knew that he had put everything he was and had into the relationship he now saw falling to pieces. She didn't have anything else to offer him, except, "I may not know much, but I _do_ know she loves you."

He turned his head to look at her and with the saddest smile she had ever seen on anyone said, "I know. I know she loves me and I think that makes this even harder because I guess she just doesn't love enough to leave the past in the past." He paused and shook his head as he once again turned it to look at the night sky. "If she didn't love me, then it'd be easier to tell myself that this wasn't worth it and force myself to move on. But as it is. . ." He trailed off and Angela finished for him.

"As it is because you know she loves you, you keep hoping that everything will be fine and you'll finally have the happy ending."

"Yes," he agreed with a self-deprecating chuckle. "You know, after everything I've done in my life maybe I just don't deserve a happy ending."

"Booth, don't say that." Angela protested as she put a hand on his arm and squeezed it. "You're one of the best men I know."

"Thank you," he said humbly as he continued to study the stars. "But you don't know a fraction of what I've done and maybe this is my payment for it. Maybe I'm not fated for a happy ending or even a peaceful ending. But you know what," he said as he suddenly straighten and turned to face her, shaking off most if not all of the almost destructive mood he had fallen into. "Ok, so maybe I don't deserve a happy ending, fine I can deal with that. And maybe I don't even deserve to feel lasting peace," and he couldn't image that he would ever feel true peace again without Temperance, when the only peace he had known in the last few years had been in her arms. "But I think I at least deserve some calm in my life and some stability, some security. If I was sure of her, if I was sure that what we have was as important for her as it was for me, I could keep bringing her back as many times as necessary – just as I've been doing. But that sense of security I'd had always felt. . . It's gone, just like our connection, it seems to be disappearing and there's nothing I can do. And that's what's different." He finally said answering the question Angela had posed at the beginning of the conversation. "And that is why I can't keep doing this."

Angela nodded to show she understood his reasoning but before she could say anything, they heard, "Booth?"

Both froze at Brennan's voice, they had been so involved in their talk that neither had heard her footsteps and neither knew how long she'd been there or how much she'd heard.

"Booth?" she called again when he didn't respond.

Angela, who was still facing him, saw as he closed his eyes, took a big breath and visibly pulled himself together once again. But this time when he opened his eyes, she almost didn't recognize him. The tired, sad and open man she had just been talking with was no longer there. In his place was a man she didn't know; if she hadn't known how to deal with a defeated Booth, she had at least recognized in him the Booth she'd always known. But the man looking at her now was a complete stranger, the eyes that were always so expressive, were now blank, empty. She had seen a variety of emotions in Booth's eyes everything from mischief (which she saw very often) to happiness to anger and even despair; she'd had always seen some sort of emotions in them, had even been able to judge his mood by looking at them. But now, those eyes were empty; those beautiful chocolate pools showed nothing, except her own reflection.

As Booth slowly turned to face Brennan, Angela realized that she had just met Ranger Booth and for the first time since she met him, she realized just how deadly he could be – oh, she knew he could be dangerous, but had never realized that he could be deadly or how easily he could switch to that mode.

"Yes?" he asked in a voice that showed as much emotion as his eyes – in other words none whatsoever.

Brennan also noticed the absence of emotions in his eyes and voice and it took her aback so that it took a few moments before she could speak. "We need to talk."

"No, we don't" he answered in that same tone.

"Yes, we do," she insisted. "There are things we need to . . ."

But Booth put his hand up and stopped her from finishing her thought. "There really is nothing more to say, nothing else I care to discuss. But I know you, so let me put your mind at ease, Brennan."

Both Brennan and Angela flinched at that. It wasn't the utterly emotionless voice but the fact that he called her Brennan that made Brennan's gasp and Angela's mouth dropped open. He had never, ever called her Brennan; it was always either Bones or Temperance if he was feeling particularly emotional and if he was introducing her to someone then it was Dr. Brennan. But Brennan, just Brennan? He had _never_ called her that. And it was funny, in the saddest possible meaning of the word, how much it could hurt to hear the name that almost everyone else used coming out of the lips of the man she loved.

"We agreed when we started this," and he waved his hand between them to indicate their relationship, apparently not noticing or not caring about her reaction to his chosen form of address. "whatever this was, that we would not let it interfered with our work. And it won't. Tomorrow is Friday and since we just finished the case, I think I'm taking it as a sick day. By Monday, I'll be ready to continue with our partnership." And by the way he said 'partnership', both women knew he was talking about their work relationship. "But it would probably be best if we don't talk until then." He then nodded his head once in a sort of farewell before turning to Angela again.

"But Booth," Brennan tried again when she finally found her voice again, but he was talking to Angela and didn't or wouldn't listen to her.

"Call Hodgins," He told Angela and she nodded. "And it might be better if you waited inside." He waited to see her nod again before he got into the SUV, started it up and drove away, all the while ignoring Brennan's repeated calls to talk.

**A/N: **Well, here's the second chapter. I hope you like it. I want to thank those who have reviewed. Your reviews inspire me to post faster. I hart Booth, I guess the first chapter might seem a bit OOC, I hope this chapter addresses that because I don't want them to be OOC, I just wanted what would happened if Booth was pushed past his breaking point. I mean, I know he'd do anything for Bones, but what if she didn't or couldn't really appreciate it and kept pushing him, however much he loves her, there had to come a point where he'd had to say enough, where he'd had to walk away just because of self-preservation. I wanted to explore that, I wanted to see what it would take, how he would react and how Angela and Bones would react. Anyway, I hope I've done that. Next chapter should be out momentarely because it's done. And I should finish it sometimes before the weekend, though I'm thinking of adding a chatper from Bones' pov and that'll be hard because I can't quite get in her head. Anyway, please review, they really make me upadate faster.


	3. Chapter 3

**Breaking Point**

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bones or its characters. I do, however, have just earned the right to call myself an 'attorney'. I know it has nothing to do with this, but I just found out that I passed the bar and I'm basically just telling everyone I know and don't know about it.

**Chapter 3**

A few seconds later Booth pulled away from the parking space and left the restaurant parking lot. And both Angela and Brennan were once again left to see him leave. When Brennan recovered enough from the shock of seeing the man who had swore he would never leave her, drive away from her, she turned to Angela to see her closing her phone after presumably talking to Hodgins and asking him to come pick them up.

"Why?" was the only thing that Brennan could think to say.

Angela looked up at her after she put her phone away and asked, "Why what?"

"Why did you leave him drive away?" Brennan couldn't help the accusatory tone in her voice.

"Why?" Angela repeated again. "Because he needed to go," was the simple answer.

"He needed to go?" Brennan repeated disbelievingly. "I needed to talk to him!! And you had to know that. Why couldn't you try to stop him?"

"And how could I have done that?" Angela asked, tilting her head to the side and watching Brennan attentively.

"How? By telling him you couldn't call Hodgins and he needed to take us home."

Angela just shook her head and answered reasonably, "That wouldn't have worked. He would have just had me call a taxi."

"Angela," Brennan said again as she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "I needed to talk to him and you could have helped me."

"Maybe," Angela conceded. "But he needed to leave more than you needed to talk to him."

"He. . ." Brennan just sputtered, not sure what she could say to that statement. Actually she wasn't sure what world she was in right now, in the space of thirty minutes everything seemed to have gone up side down and now she felt almost like Alice must have felt when she stumble into the other world in that ridiculous movie Booth had made her watch a few months ago. "Angela, you're supposed to be my friend." She finally said, and though she wasn't sure whether it was a rational argument at the moment it was all she could come up with.

"I am but like I told you earlier, he's my friend too." She answered as she tried to steer Brennan back to the restaurant.

But Brennan was having none of it; quite unlike any other time, she wanted to talk about this, because she didn't really understand what had happened and she wanted, no she needed to understand it. If her relationship with Booth was finally over, like it seemed to be, then she needed to know why and how.

"Angela," she said and it was the softness of the voice and the almost lost quality to it that had Angela turning to face her.

She sighed and with a warmer voice than she had used previously said, "Brennan,"

At the softer tone, Brennan jumped in and asked, "Angela what the hell happened? Why did Booth overreact like that?"

Angela just looked at her like Brennan had grown two heads and the softening of her face stopped. "Not even you can be that clueless, Brennan."

Brennan opened her mouth to respond to the insult, but Angela just kept talking.

She shook her head and started to talk, "You've been pulling away from him and pushing him away from you for months now, and you have to ask me what's wrong? You flirt with another guy in front of him when you're barely talking to him and you think he overreacted? God, Brennan, sometimes you leave me speechless."

She shook her head once more and turned to walk away, a few steps later she turned back and continued, "You want to know what happened? I'll tell you what happened. You finally proved yourself right." She knew she was just repeating what she had said inside, but she had no other words to explain this mess. "You're so scared of being left behind once again, that you're hell bent on leaving first. And if you can't, well, then you just have to prove that he will by making it impossible for him to stay."

"That's not true," Brennan protested, violently shaking her head in denial. "I don't do that. I haven't done that. I don't want him to leave."

"Really?" Angela asked in a disbelieving tone. "because you have sure made a perfect imitation of someone who wanted to get rid of her boyfriend these last few months. You don't longer talk on phone if the conversation does not relate to work; you refuse to go out into the field or to dinner or lunch. Worse, even when you're there, you're no longer there."

"I don't know what that means," Brennan said.

"You know," Angela said with another shake of her head. "You not knowing pop culture references, used to be endearing, but right now, it's just annoying." Angela said exasperated.

"Well, excuse me if I'm not. . ." Brennan started to respond as she bristled at the insult and pulled back.

"Oh, stop it." Angela said as she put her hands on her hips and shaking her head yet again, looked at the floor and tried to calm herself. "Don't get all insulted, ok? I didn't mean it. It's just that I'm so angry and frustrated with you, I don't know what I'm saying anymore. I just watched you throw away the best thing that could happen to anyone and you don't even seem to realize it. I've tried and tried to talk to you, to get you to tell me what is going on, but you just wouldn't. And I just spent the last ten minutes consoling the guy whose heart you just broke, so I'm not feeling particularly patient."

They stood there for a few minutes, Brennan watching Angela calm down and Angela wondering what she was supposed to do now.

Finally, Angela looked back at Brennan and said, "You are my friend, Bren, and I love you. But sometimes you are the most difficult person I have ever met. For all that you know, sometimes it seems that are the most oblivious person I know.

Look, I know you had a rough childhood," though Brennan stiffened and seemed to pulled back even more, Angela continued. She had to say this, it was high time someone said it to her, because if no one did, then Brennan was never going to be more than what she was right now; and Angela didn't want her friend to end up alone and bitter.

"You've gone through things no one should have to go through, especially a child. And yet, you overcame them all and became an amazing person and an incredible friend. But, honey, you've never really got over the past. And maybe you shouldn't, I don't know. Maybe something that traumatic can't be gotten over, but you can't let it rule your life, either.

You are an amazing person and the best forensic anthropologist. You fought for it and you achieved it. You've always fought for what you wanted – when it comes to your career. But in your personal life, you're so scared of being hurt that you've shut down your emotions for most of your life. And I understand that, I do. After what you went through, it is the logical reaction. But you can't go through life closed off from your emotions because then you are not really living."

Brennan had become very still when Angela began talking about her past and Angela could see that Brennan wanted to be anywhere else but there, but something was keeping her there. And at the mention of her being closed off, she protested, "I'm not closed off. I haven't been since I met you. I mean you're my best friend and I have . . . had Booth. And the guys at the lab and Cam. I think I've opened my life and emotions quite a lot in the last few years."

"Yes, you have. But not totally, and you still hide behind your past. For someone so brave and adventurous in every other area of life, you are more likely to avoid emotions and to run from relationships whenever they get to be too intense than to fight for them. That's what you've been doing with Booth since you met him. Why did it take almost three years to get together? Because you knew he wouldn't be content with just parts of you, he would want all of you. And that scare the crap out of you, so you ran."

"But we got together. We became a couple and I was happy." Brennan protested.

"I know. And that's why I can't understand why you've been acting like you have this past few months. Bren, you have to let the past go; you have to leave it in the past. And you have to start living in the present. You can't let the past and your fears rule your life; you can't keep blaming what you went through every time you're tempted to run away because the emotions you're feeling are so powerful they scare you. We all have a past, maybe not as traumatic as yours, but we all have our own demons to deal with. There just comes a point in all our lives when we have to say enough; when we have to stop using the past as an excuse or crutch and own up to the fact that the present and future are _our_ responsibility. That the lives we have are the lives _we've_ made. So we better be damn sure that they are the lives we want, because at the end of the day, we can't blame anyone else but ourselves if we're not happy with them."

She paused and noted that Brennan's face had gone rigid. She sighed and said softly, "I'm not saying this to hurt you, Bren. I'm saying it because I love you and I want you to be happy and I think Booth is your best chance at happiness. I know that if you let him go because of whatever fears and hung ups you have from the past, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

After Angela finished saying her piece, they fell silent. Angela didn't think there was anything else she could say to make Brennan see reason and Brennan had too many thoughts going around her head for her to be able to say anything.

A few minutes later, as Angela saw Hodgins' car coming down, she added, "One more thing. Booth really _is_ one of the best men I know and whatever else he may think, he deserves happiness. If you don't think that you'll be able to finally let go of the past completely and really commit yourself to him, heart and soul, then maybe it would be best if you guys ended. This give and take, roller coaster ride you've been on for the past four years, is not fair to either of you. And I know, whatever he said right now, that if you went and talk to him after he's calm down, he'd take you back because he loves you – he really loves more than anything else, except Parker. So, if you can't really give him what he needs, what he deserves, then let him go, Bren. That may be the kindest thing you could for him – and the best thing for you."

She paused as she saw Hodgin come into the parking lot and couldn't resist adding, "I really hope you can let the past go and finally give yourself to Booth, sweetie." She said as she gave Brennan a one arm hug. She then looked into Brennan's eyes and said in the most sincere and almost pleading voice she had, "Honey, please give yourself the chance to really love him, without reserves or trepidation. I promise it'd be so worth it. And I know that neither of you will really ever be happy unless you do. It's all in your hands now, hon. Whatever you decide, it's all up to you."


	4. Chapter 4

**Breaking Point**

**Disclaimer: **They don't belong to me, but I wouldn't turn them down if someone was offered them to me.

**A/N: **Well, here's the next chapter. It was a hard one to write; when I first thought of it, I had just envionsed Booth and Angela and their reactions. I had no real idea about Brennan's motive. But your lovely reviews inspired me to think about it and to think fast. So, here it is. I hope you guys like it. One more thing, and I should have mentioned this before, this is unbetaed. I try to double and triple read it, but I don't always catch everything. And, English is my second language and though I've been in the States more than half my life and while I have no problems with the big words, sometimes I get confuse on the more common sayings, weird, eh? Mendebar, thank you for pointing out the difference, I was actually unsure about it and the computer didn't correct it because it wasn't mispelled, I'll try and get it right from now on.:) Well, here's the story.

**Chapter 4**

The ride to Brennan's apartment was done in silence; all three of the car's occupants were lost in their own thoughts. Hodgins was dying to know what had happened but knew better than to ask Brennan directly. He knew that Angela would tell him everything as soon as they dropped Brennan off. Still, it was taking all his willpower to keep quiet – to his credit, though, he _was_ keeping quiet.

Angela's silence wasn't due to curiosity or caution but rather to confusion. She had been so angry with Brennan for so long now that tonight she had exploded and let her have it. For the past few weeks, she had watched her best friend retreat from everyone and could do nothing to stop it. Worse, she saw how she was destroying her relationship with Booth and how by doing that, she was ultimately destroying both Booth and herself and nothing she had said or done had gotten through to Brennan. So, tonight she had lost it, really lost it. She had never been so tough on anyone in her life, let alone Brennan, who despite how much she had grown in the interpersonal skills area was still a beginner. It just wasn't in her to be so harsh on her friends and now she was feeling guilty, wondering if she had gone too far and the next moment wondering if she had gone far enough.

And on top of the guilt she was worried because she didn't know if Booth and Brennan were going to be able to survive this – she wasn't even sure they _should_, and yet she had encouraged Brennan to try. And she also felt sad because she knew neither one would be the same if they _didn't_ pull through. Saying Angela was confused was a bit of an understatement really, she didn't know what to say, what to think or what to hope even. She just wished they hurried up and get to Brennan's soon because she really needed to talk to Jack. Maybe discussing it with him would bring some clarity into the problem.

Angela wasn't the only feeling confused on the car. Brennan was as confused as she had ever been in her life. But unlike Angela, she could not even articulate what she was confused about. There were so many thoughts and emotions going around in her head that she could not grasp even one idea and think about it. Part of her wanted to ask Angela for help, because for one of the few times in her life she had no idea what she should do or even what she wanted to do. But she couldn't ask Angela, not only because she was still smarting about how she'd been treated by her best friend but because she was so confused she wouldn't even know how to begin to ask for help.

Finally, though the silence had not been really uncomfortable, all three were glad to see Brennan's building appeared before them. Since Hodings had chosen a four door sedan to pick them up, Angela didn't have to get out of the car. She just turned around and with a half smile said, "Just, sweetie," she paused a second because she still wasn't sure what the best advice would be. "Listen to your heart and be very sure that whatever you end up doing is what you really want and something that you're going to be able to live with, ok?"

"Ok," Brennan said with a half smile of her own and after saying good-bye to Angela and Hodgins, she got out of the car and went into her building. Angela and Hodgins waited until after they saw her entered before leaving. They hadn't even left the parking lot before Angela started telling Jack everything that had happened that night, knowing that even if he wasn't able to help her make sense out of everything, she'd at least feel better for having shared it with him.

A few minutes later, Brennan entered her apartment, closed and locked the door; she then turned and looked around her apartment like she was seeing it for the first time. She leaned against the door for a minute as she tried to think of what to do. But after a minute turned into a few and she still hadn't thought of anything, she took a few steps into the living room and stopped as she again looked around. She looked into the kitchen and thought about maybe getting something to drink, but while a glass of wine might be nice, she didn't really feel like bothering with it. She looked towards her room then, and thought that maybe going to bed might be best. But she was so keyed up that she knew it'd be hours before she was able to fall asleep and just lying in the bed she had share with Seeley so many times before unable to sleep held _no_ appeal.

With every other possibility eliminated, she settled for sitting in the couch and just letting her mind wander for a while. Maybe if she didn't try to focus on anything, her mind would calm down enough for her to be able to figure things out. After at least fifteen minutes of remembering some of what Angela had said and the look in Booth's eye when he had called her Brennan (she still could not believe how much it had hurt to hear him use the name she had tried so long and hard to get him to say when they first met) as if they were in a continuous loop, she got up with a huff and went to the stereo system to turn it on. She looked at her CDs, but nothing seemed right so she just turn the radio on.

She went back to the sofa and laid down across it with her head in one arm rest. She had one arm over her eyes and the other over her stomach, with her feet on the other arm rest. She figured she might as well try to get some rest, even if sleep would be impossible for a while. She tried some breathing exercises and maybe it was the combination of them and the music, whatever the reason she soon found that her mind was calming and for the first time that night she could think clearly.

The first thing she did was ask herself: 'what happened?' And a voice that sounded suspiciously like Angela had earlier on, said 'what you've been waiting for. He's left.'

And she hated it, but a part of her felt relieved; like the other shoe she had recently started to wait for had finally dropped. And she felt guilty and ashamed for feeling like that even if a little; because Angela was right, it was not fair to Booth. He hadn't done anything to ever make her feel insecure about their relationship. And she _knew_ that she hadn't felt like that the past four years. She just didn't know what the hell had happened to bring this on.

She started thinking back and had to cringe when she realized that Angela had also been right about how odd she had been acting the past few weeks. It hadn't been on purpose; it hadn't been like she had set out to push everyone out of her life. But whether she had intended it or not, that was exactly what had happened. She had started staying later and later at the lab, not going out into the field, canceling dinner and lunch plans, making excuses not to stay over at Booth's and not letting him stay over. She had done everything but tell them all to get lost.

With a shake of her head, she wondered just what had she expected to happen? She was a scientist; she _knew_ that no matter how strong something may be, it still had a breaking point. And apparently she had done her level best to find Booth's – and find it she had.

She shook her head again as she sat up. She hadn't wanted to find Booth's breaking point – the last thing she had wanted to do was break him. Nor had she wanted him to leave. But then what? What _had_ she wanted? Had she been testing him, trying to find out what it took to get him to go? With a sigh, she laid her head on the back of the couch and hoped that that wasn't it because that would really be . . . wrong, to say the least.

And then she sat back up as she had a horrible thought: she had made him leave. The man that never broke a promise had been made to break his promise to never leave her - by her. She had made him break his promise. And in that moment she realized something she had always known but never really assimilated, Seeley Booth would move heaven and earth to be with her, he would fight the devil (and Seeley actually believed in the devil) himself to not leave her; the only way he would leave her was over his dead body – or if she pushed him out the door. She got up shakily from the couch and made her way to kitchen; wine, she needed wine.

As she poured herself a glass, she couldn't stop thinking about Seeley and how she had hurt him on some many different levels. And she didn't know if she could ever make it up to him or even if she should. Because Angela was right, _again_; if she couldn't give him what he wanted and deserved, then he would be better off without her.

At the thought of her life without him, her chest closed so violently, that she had to bend forward to try and catch her breath. She simply could not imagine her life without him anymore. A few moments later, she calmed down enough to slowly walk to the sofa. She sat down again and tried to think. True, she didn't want to even imagine her life without him, but she loved him and right now she had to think about what would be best for him.

She was scared, really scared that maybe what was best for him was for her to let him go. She didn't want to keep hurting him, didn't want him to go, but could she be what he needed? Would she try to run away agian in another three years, five, ten? She didn't know, because she still wasn't sure what had prompted her to run this time.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself. Her thoughts were all over the place and thus she was unable to find any answers. It was time that she brought some logic into this mess.

First: did she love Seeley? Yes, no need to think about that. She loved him and didn't want to leave without him.

Second: did she trust him, believe in him? Did she believe that he would never leave her if it was in his power? Yes and yes. There was no one else on Earth that she trusted or believed in more than him. And she did know that he wouldn't leave her if it was up to him.

And therein laid the problem: 'if it was up to him.' But given his job and his protective nature, chances were good that the decision could be taken out of his hands. So the third question was: could she deal with that? Could she live with the chance that one day he might not come back because a bad guy was faster than he?

Just the thought was enough to have her hyperventilating again. She forced herself to calm down and think things through logically. Which really was an absurd notion, because really, how can you think logically about the love of your life dying? But she tried her best and the thought of having to deal with his death one day was so scary, so terrifying that she was almost convinced that it would be better if she left things as they were; if she just allowed their relationship to die without doing anything.

She once again heard Angela tell her that she shouldn't let her past and fears rule her life because then she wouldn't be living. But her fear was so strong, so paralyzing, that even though she knew Angela was right and even though she wanted to do as Angela said, she was on the verge of giving up, of going to bed and letting it all go. And she knew that if she did that, she would be going back six years; she would be back to being the Temperance Brennan she had been before she met Booth – no she would be worse, she would be so closed off that no one would be able to get in ever again. And that thought was as terrifying as one day learning that Booth had died (what she hadn't yet realized was that if that were to happen, she would be devastated whether Booth and her were a couple or not).

She didn't know what to do; she was confused and scared. In any other situation, she would pick up the phone and call Booth and see what he'd say. He had become her touchstone with reality, the one who could make sense out of the most chaotic situations. But since right now her problem was what to do about _Booth_, calling him was out of the questions. Likewise was calling Angela, which would be her second option. No, she was on her own on this one.

In the middle of all that chaos and uncertainty, she heard a song come on the radio. She was never sure what made her paid attention to that particular song but the first line grabbed her and she was captivated until the last note. As it ended she listened attentively for the name and singer and then she got up and went to look up the lyrics. It might sound like the most illogical thing to do in the middle of her crisis, but she needed to read those lyrics.

She finally found them: _Because You Loved Me_ by Celine Dion. As she read the lyrics, she couldn't help but be reminded of her relationship with Booth.

_For all those times you stood by me _Since the moment they've met, he had been by her side, never faltering. He had vouched for her to Cullen, even when that meant loosing a very important case. He had, time and again, gone against or put his insticts on hold just because she asked him to. He had left the hospital and come to rescue her when Kenton had her, even though he could hardly walk. He had defended, protected and saved her from day one and had never once complained or bragged about it. _  
__For all the truth that you made me see _While it was her that had a burning need to find the truth, it was him that was able to recognize it and show it to her. Without him, her obsesive need to see everything through a scientific filter, would have led her to miss the truth more than once._  
For all the joy you brought to my life  
For all the wrong that you made right _She hadn't been as happy as she had been with Seeley since before she was fifteen. And part of that happiness was the knowledge that he would always do the right thing, not only in the job but for her. He had made it possible for her to find the truth about her parents' dissaperance and reconcile with her brother. It was because of him that the mess down in New Orleans had been cleared up and she still had her mother's earings. _  
For every dream you made come true _He had made dreams she hadn't even know she had, or which she had forgotten, like having a prince rescue her, come true.  
_For all the love I found in you _She hadn't really believe in love, but he had shown her what it meant, what it really meant to love someone and she could honestly say that she knew what it meant to be really loved.  
_I'll be forever thankful baby  
You're the one who held me up  
Never let me fall  
Youre the one who saw me through, through it all _Since the day they became partners, he had been the one constant in her life. It had been him she had turned to when the truth about her parent's past came out. And when her dad had come back, it had been him that had been there when she had feared her brother had been killed and him that had made him feel better when her father and brother once again left her behind. And because he was there, she still had her family and even if she could, she would not have left with them, because her life was in DC with him.

_You were my strength when I was weak  
You were my voice when I couldn't speak  
You were my eyes when I couldn't see _Whenever a case or her past got to be too much for her and she felt that she couldn't go on, it was him that picked her up and helped her keep going until she was strong enough to stand on her own again.  
_You saw the best there was in me _She was always surprised how proud he was of her. He always introduced her as 'Dr. Brennan.' And if by some mistake someone fail to refer to her as Dr or show the proper respect, he would always correct them, regardless of who the person happen to be. He always looked at her for the answers and took her word over anyone else's.  
_Lifted me up when I couldn't reach  
You gave me faith coz you believed_ Even when she didn't believe in herself, he had always believed in her. When she had started to doubt herself and started to wonder whether she might have killed Graham he had never once doubted it and had even risked his career because of his belief. And when she had been buried alive by the gravedigger, it had been his belief in her, that she wouldn't give up that had made him push the others and ultimately allowed them to be there when she'd blown up the windshield.  
_I'm everything I am  
Because you loved me_

_You gave me wings and made me fly  
You touched my hand I could touch the sky_ He had taught her that there was more to life than science and work. He had helped her understand that she could be happy and safe if she just gave herself the chance.  
_I lost my faith, you gave it back to me_ She had lost her faith on everything but science when her parents dissapeared but knowing Booth had reinstated it, if not in everything, certainly in him. Because Hodgins had been right when he said that she had a lot of faith on Booth – she did and he had never let her down.  
_You said no star was out of reach  
You stood by me and I stood tall _With him by her side, she knew she was capable of anything. She wouldn't have been able to solve all those cases if it hadn't been for him and she wouldn't be able to appreciate the beauty of life if he wasn't there to show it to her and to make her believe in miracle that was everyday life.  
_I had your love I had it all  
I'm grateful for each day you gave me  
Maybe I dont know that much_ And she had never doubted her intelligence more than she did at that moment.  
_But I know this much is true  
I was blessed because I was loved by you_ She didn't really believe in God, but if he existed, she knew that having met Booth had been the single greatest blessing in her life.

_You were my strength when I was weak  
You were my voice when I couldn't speak  
You were my eyes when I couldn't see  
You saw the best there was in me  
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach  
You gave me faith coz you believed  
I'm everything I am  
Because you loved me_  
_  
You were always there for me  
The tender wind that carried me _All she needed to do was call him and he'd be there. When Angela had needed help finding Kirk, he had flown over to help them just because she'd ask. And when she woke and couldn't remember what had happened the day before, he'd had been on the first plane to New Orleans even when she told him not to come. _  
A light in the dark shining your love into my life  
You've been my inspiration _She'd never admitted it, but her books where based on him and on what she'd learned from him. That was why every book since her second, were dedicated to him._  
Through the lies you were the truth _He was the one person in her life she knew would always tell her the true, no matter what it was. He knew what lies had done to her life and he would never hurt her like that.  
_My world is a better place because of you _Her world, her life was what it was because of him. He had made it infinetely better just with his presence.

_You were my strength when I was weak  
You were my voice when I couldn't speak  
You were my eyes when I couldn't see  
You saw the best there was in me  
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach  
You gave me faith coz you believed  
I'm everything I am  
Because you loved me_

By the time she finished reading, she was crying. She couldn't believe how perfectly the song described her feelings for Booth. He had changed her in some many ways, that she didn't know who she'd be without him. The Temperance Brennan of six years ago no longer existed, in her place was a woman that loved and was loved, who worked hard but who also knew when to stop and how to have fun, who had find a measure of peace with her past, who had friends and let other people in. In short, loving and being loved by Booth had made her a better person, as cliche as that sounded; it had made her a more rounded individual - and she liked who she'd become.

Was she really ready to let it go? Did she really want to go back to who she'd been then? And all because of what? Because at some inderteminate future, Booth may die. If there was one universal truth, it was that we all die sooner or later. The secret was to enjoy life while we had it. Yeah, if Booth died she'd be hurt - devasted even. But, would she be any better off if they broke up now? Look at her, she was a mess already and it hadn't even been two hours!

She loved him and he loved he. They made each other happy, when they weren't making each other miserable - but she thought that was part of being in love. And yes, no one could irritate her faster and more than Booth and she him, but again that was them. And if she was honest with herself, the bickering was part of the fun; maybe they were perverse, but she knew that they rather bicker with each other than make love with anyone else. All those failed relationship they'd both had before they got together was prove enough of that; no matter how many boy/girlfriend the other one got, they never lasted long and at the end they always ended up together.

She swiped her cheeks as she straightened her back. What was she doing here crying? And why the hell was she even thinkin of letting that man go? Ok, she'd been scare, she was still terrified but she had never been a coward. She had traveled throughout the world, into some of the most dangerous, politically unstable countries, she had faced serial killers, psycopaths and gang leaders all without flinching, but she was going to let some silly fears robbed her of the love of her life, of her one chance at happiness?

No, she was made of stronger stuff than that. Yes, she had hurt him but she'd find a way to make it up to him. She'd start by apologizing and somehow explained what had happened. And she'd promise that it would never happen again. And it wouldn't, she'd make sure of it. What had really gone wrong this time was that she had refused to talk to him, she had shut him out, something she hadn't really done in a long time, if ever. She wouldn't do that again. She wouldn't ever hurt him again. And she knew that she could make him happy, because all of those things that she'd realized he did for her, she knew she did for him. She'd just continue doing that and letting him that them for her, never forgetting what a blessing it was to have him in her life and they would be fine. She'd make sure of that and she always got what she wanted, didn't she? She had become the best in her field and then she had become partners with an FBI agent going into the field without any training. She knew she could make this relationship work because there had never been anything else she had wanted as much as this in her life.

**A/N2: **I wanted to thank each of you for reviewing, it really inspires me to keep writing. Please review this chapter. You know, I had sort of meant to make Brennan sort of the villain of the story but at the end, something totally different came out. I hope you don't mind the use of the song, but when I was trying to get inspire I listened to some music and when I heard the song, I went 'that's it! that's their relationship'. And I just had to use it. Also, I toyed with the idea of making this a true angs story, but I really don't like angst - I don't like reading it and I don't like writing it. What can I say, I'm a sucker for happy endings. So, next chapter we'll see how they deal with all the hurt and maybe find out what really triggered Brennan to retreat. One last thing (promise, this is the last), there's another song I think will work perfect next chapter, do you guys have a preferance? Do you like songfics or not? Please review and let me know so I can decide whether to use or not. Again please review, if you do, I could have the last chapter before the weekend ends and I have an idea for another fic from Cam's pov. Yes, it's a bribe, does it work?


	5. Chapter 5

**Breaking Point**

**Disclaimer: Once again: They're not mine. **

**Chapter 5**

Fifteen minutes, Brennan'd been sitting in her car outside Booth's house for the past fifteen minutes. She knew she had to go in, she wanted to go in and yet she couldn't get out of the car. She watched as the clock changed: sixteen minutes. She took a deep breath, she could do this – she was no coward. She had never had a problem in going after what she wanted; she had wanted to be the best in her field and she had worked her fingers off until she'd achieved it, she had wanted to have an active participation in the FBI investigations she'd consulted on and she'd achieved that too. And really, this was Booth, the man whom she could talk into just about anything and who let her get away with things no one else would have. Why was she so scared?

Because this was _Booth_, the only man that had broken through her defenses, the man that could talk her into anything and the love of her life. The man whose heart she just broke a few hours ago. The upcoming confrontation wasn't just like any old conversation; it was probably the defining conversation of their relationship. If she could not reach him and make him understand, they would be over. That was why she couldn't seen to get out of the car.

When she realized that she had been waiting 20 minutes, she thought: 'this is silly. Sitting here waiting won't make it any easier.' With a rush of determination, she took the key off the ignition, turned off the lights and got out of the car. She locked it and turned and marched determinately towards Booth's front door. Unfortunately, the determination ebbed once she got to the door. She raised her hand to knock and then remembered she had a key. She got the key out and had it over the lock before deciding that it might be better to knock. She fisted and raised her hand to knock; only to bring it back down and put the key back over the lock and then she brought it back up again.

She alternated from almost knocking to almost opening the door for almost five minutes before she once again had to give herself the pep talk about not being a coward. With a deep breath, she finally opened the door and entered the house. She could hear the noise from the TV and knew that Booth would be in the living room, exactly where she thought he'd be. Suddenly the possibility that he might have been asleep entered her mind before she shook it off as she realized that it was just another attempt to put talking to him off.

She left her keys and purse on the table in the entry way and she took off her coat as she made her way to the living room. She paused on the threshold to watch him as he lay on the sofa watching TV. Though, she supposed 'watching' was a bit of an overstatement, she could tell by the look in his eyes that he was not really watching whatever was playing on the TV.

"I thought we said we wouldn't talk until Monday?" Booth asked, making her jump.

She hadn't thought he knew she was there because she had barely made any noise when she came into the house and he hadn't turn his head when she'd entered the living room. But she should have known better; the man was an ex-Ranger and he was always hyper-aware of his surroundings. It was almost impossible to ever take him by surprise.

"_We_ didn't say anything," She responded. "You said it; but I think we need to talk." Not exactly how she'd thought this would begin, but it'd do. She moved further into the room, laid her coat down in one of the chairs and sat down at the edge of the sofa, despite the lack of invitation.

He narrowed his eyes at the bold move and the contradiction, but just shrugged his shoulders and said without looking away from the TV, "There's nothing to talk about. I have nothing new to say and you haven't had anything to say in months. So . . ."

"I know and I'm sorry," she apologized. "I should have listened to you and talked before but . . ." She shook her head as she trailed off. Seeing that he was not going to give her anything, she said, "You don't have to say anything. You can just listen, please?"

"So _now_ you want to talk?" he asked with a sneer. "Don't you think it's a matter of a too little, too late now?" He asked as he brought the beer he had been holding to his mouth.

"No," she shook her head in denial. "I know I screwed up," she ignored his snort and kept going. "But at least give me a chance to explain. I love you and don't want to lose you."

"You love me?" He asked with a half smile that showed his doubt. "You sure have a funny way of showing it."

"I know," she repeated. "I haven't shown it lately. And I'm really sorry. . ."

"Don't," he interrupted her again. "I really don't want to hear more apologies. They're not worth anything. They won't make the past few months different and they sure as hell won't make things better."

"Then what would make things better?" She asked in a voice that shook slightly.

Booth heard the tremor and had to close his eyes for a minute. She was always so strong that any sign of vulnerability on her part always affected him, so he had to wait a minute before he could say, "I don't think there's much that could make things better now."

"No, please Booth, don't say that," she pleaded. "It can't end like this, not after everything we've gone through."

For the first time that evening, he turned his head and looked at her. When she saw his eyes, she almost wished he hadn't. They were as empty as they had been earlier on the parking lot and she didn't know how to deal with that. Booth's eyes had always been expressive. But now, it was like looking into the face of a stranger. And she realized, like Angela had earlier, that she was looking at the Ranger. She had caught glimpses of him during the years, but it had always been brief glances and it had never been directed at her. It so unnerved her to have that gaze turned on her now that she lost her breath for a minute.

"I can't believe you're going there," he all but growled in response to her appeal.

Brennan shook her shock off as she silently admitted that it had been something of a low blow. It implied that he was giving up first and that he didn't much care to fight for their relationship, which couldn't be further from the truth. But, she had to use any and all arms at her disposal. If she was successful and they were able to work it out, then she knew he would understand, forgive and maybe even admire her daring. If she wasn't successful, then it would just be a relatively small screw up compare to all her others. Either way, it wouldn't matter much.

"Booth," she said softly, raising her hand to put it on his arm before putting back down without making contact. "Please, hear me out. I know that I probably have no right to ask you for anything, but . . ." She trailed off before softly repeating, "I love you," when she couldn't think of anything better.

Booth sighed and sat forward to put down his beer. He then rested his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. That was the second time she'd said she loved him. Normally, she only said it in very special occasions. He knew she loved him, but it was usually him that said it while she responded with 'me too'. In the four years they've been together, she'd probably only said it a handful of times without some sort of prompt from him first. For her to say it now . . ., he shook his head and rubbed his hands over his face. He knew his anger was waning; any sign of emotional openness from her always had that effect. He just wasn't sure whether giving in this time would be for the best.

"I don't know, Bones," he said as he leaned back in the couch after picking up his beer and taking a big drink. "I don't think there's much point. Not if you can't even explain what's been going on . . ."

The knot that had resided in Brennan's stomach all evening loosened a little when she heard him called her Bones. She knew then that he was softening and she still had a chance. When he said nothing more, she took it as her cue to go on.

"Do you remember when you were shot three months ago?" She asked.

It took him a moment as it had barely grazed him and it had only merited a couple of hours at the ER. "Yes," he said finally. "Though, I really wouldn't say I was shot. Don't tell me that's why . . .?"

"No," she shook her head. "Well, not directly, anyway." She had been scared to death when she had found out that he'd been shot in an FBI raid he'd gone without her. But it _had_ been relatively minor. "Remember the case we got right after?"

"Miranda Kensley?" He asked and Brennan nodded. "Yes, I remember." Wondering where all of this was going, but relieved that she was finally talking.

"You remember the husband?" she asked.

"Yes," Booth answered again, he shook his head at the memory. "Poor bastard."

"Yeah, I remember you said that then, too. I think that was one of the few cases where you didn't automatically assume or at least suspected that the husband was guilty."

"Well, he wasn't. I mean, if he hadn't killed her by then, he was clearly not capable of doing it." He explained as he had back then.

She nodded her head to show she remembered his opinion. "You couldn't understand why he stayed with her."

"No," he agreed as he took another sip of his beer and thought back to that case. "I still don't, for that matter." He'd known he'd missed her but it wasn't until now, when they were once again talking like they used to do that he realized how much he'd come to depend on just talking to her. "I mean, she cheated on him eleven of the twelve years they were married."

"You said some things could not be forgiven and when I asked you if you could forgive if I cheated on you,"

"I answered that it wasn't a valid question because you would never cheat but that no, I didn't think I could forgive something like that. Why?" He couldn't resist asking, "Are you saying that you cheated?" but the smile on his face showed he was kidding.

At that smile, the knot in her stomach loosened a bit more. "No, of course not. But you also said that some relationships just didn't work, that they were so dysfunctional that even if there was love the best thing would be for them to end."

He turned to looked at her and found her studying her fingers. "Yes, some relationships are not worth the trouble." He said, slowly, not liking where this could be going.

"And I started thinking," she continued as she shifted on the sofa.

"I've told you: you really should do less of that," he said with another small smile. "Nothing good can come out of so much thinking."

She smiled a little before continuing, "I know that I'm not easy to get along with, that I can be stubborn, arrogant and hell-bent in getting my way."

Booth hid his smile and interrupted her before she could keep listing her faults, "Bones, surely you don't think that makes our relationship dysfunction, do you?"

She shouldn't be surprise that he knew what she was thinking, he always seem to know. And as usual, it had taken him far less time to figure out what had been bothering her than it had taken her; she had just realized it herself.

"Well," she answered as she finally looked back at him. "It's just that we're always fighting and you're always seem to be saving me, whether from crazy killers or from my own demons. It seemed to me that our relationship is somewhat one-sided, with you always there to bring me back if I get scare and try to run or just to keep me up when I lose my balance. You're the one that does most of the work, that's always giving. And I just . . ." She paused for a minute, not sure how to say what she needed to say and Booth just waited for her to figure it out.

"Booth, you are one of the strongest men I know. If, for whatever reason, we were to end, you'd find a way to go on. I know you'd be sad, but you'd eventually be able to move on. I mean, you've been hurt before and yet you not only found a way to keep going but you're actually able to put yourself out there again; you know what you risk when you open yourself up to new people, new relationship, yet you still do it. I'm not like that; I'm not as strong as you. It took everything I had to give us a chance; if we were to end, I don't think I could take it." She finished with a shake of her head.

"So, let me get this straight," Booth said after a minute. "You thought that our relationship was dysfunctional and that we might at some point have to call it quits and because you didn't think you could bear it, you decided to push me away?"

"I didn't decide anything," she denied. "None of this was conscious. Yes, I thought about it for a while after that case but then I put it out my head. But I guess it stayed in my subconscious and I somehow thought that if I didn't depend on you some much then you wouldn't get tire of us, of me." At Booth's incredulous face, she went on. "But again, it wasn't a conscious decision really. We just had some much overdue work at the Jeffersonian and you at the FBI that it was easy to put some distance between us." She explained with a shrug.

Booth nodded, there had been a lot of paperwork to do and staying late at the office to finish it hadn't seem like a big deal back then. But still, he could not get over the fact that, "You didn't want to lose me, so you shut me out?" For a smart woman, that seemed the height of stupid reasoning.

"I'm not saying it's rational or logical," she defended herself.

"Good, because it's not," he couldn't resist point out, it was rare the instance when she was anything but rational and logical. He then shook his head and tried to address all the points she'd brought up.

"Ok, first: we do _not_ have a dysfunctional relationship. I was _not_ talking about us when I made that comment. Yes, we fight a lot but that's us and I, personally, think that's what makes us work. We trust and respect each other and we feel secure enough with each other that we know we can say anything and that the other person will hear us out and even when she/he doesn't agree our opinions will be given the benefit of the doubt. Hell, we'll even defend the other's opinion if need be.

It doesn't even really matter if we're rude, insensitive or even out of line, because we know we don't mean it; we know that sometimes when we're angry, frustrated or scared we might say things we wouldn't otherwise and that's ok because we know each other and we know when not to take offense. I think our ability to tell each other what we really feel or think without the need to censor it is what makes us so strong. We have no need for pretense and we know that the reaction we get is genuine, that there is not placating. Plus, it's fun. You can't tell me you don't enjoy our bickering because I know you do."

Brennan smiled a little and answered, "Yes, all right. Some of our bickering can be fun." She remembered that Angela had actually it called 'verbal foreplay' and she had to agree that sometimes their bickering had led to more physical interactions. "But not all our arguing is bickering. Sometimes we have very heated arguments."

Booth nodded his head thinking that 'heated arguments' was something of an understatement; sometimes their arguments were outright fights. "Yes, that's true. And while those are few and far between, no relationship is without arguments or fights even. We're both stubborn people, Bones, and we both think we're right most of the time. Of course, we're going to argue. The important thing is that after we argue we let it go; we know we don't always agree but we respect the other's point of view. That's really all you can ask of someone else."

Brennan slowly nodded her head as she thought about it and she saw that what he was saying made sense, but he was not done.

"And I know you're not perfect but I'm not perfect either," unlike him, she did not stop her snort of agreement. "I have my own problems, demons and garbage to deal with and sometimes I get overwhelmed too." He paused and took another sip of his beer as his eyes shifted towards the wall but she could tell by the look in them that he was lost in thought. "Sometimes I lose sight of what's important, sometimes a case touches too close and my emotions get the best of me or I just simply get lost in my own hell. And when that happens, Temperance, you're always the one that brings me back." He paused and made sure she was looking into his eyes so that she could see he was being as honest and open as he's even been.

"You have my back, Bones, in the field and out of it and you've had it since we started working together. You _know_ me; you know all my dark and ugly places, you know what I've done and what I'm capable of doing and you're not afraid or revolted. Just as you're not intimidated that I'm the one with the gun or that I'm stronger or put off by my arrogance or my sometimes disdainful opinion of science; you're not offended if I'm sometimes abrupt and short and you're never scared if I sometimes have violent reactions.

"Whenever I'm angry, frustrated or scared you're the only one I want to talk to; you're the only one that I _would_ talk to, because I know you'd listen to me without passing judgment. You know me, Temperance, better and more completely than anyone has ever known me and you still like me – heck, you love me and want to be with me. You accept as I am and have never asked me to change."

"You do the same for me, Booth," Brennan said softly. She had thought something along these lines earlier on but she had needed to hear it from him to really believe it.

"Yes, I do. This is _not_ a one-sided relationship, Bones," he denied shaking his head. He then reached over and cupped her face and smiled as she leaned into it. "What we have is a true partnership – 50/50. We both give and take; it depends on the situation who gives more and who takes more. But we're always there for each other, without fail. That's why we have such an impressive track record at work and why we have been able to make our personal relationship work for three years despite the fact that we can both be pains in the ass."

The last was said with a smile and Brennan had to smile after making the perfunctory protest and punching him in the arm.

He chuckled, incredibly relieved that they seemed to be back on track. "One more thing, Temperance." He said as he put his hand under her chin and forcer her to meet his eyes. "There's no way on this Earth that I could _ever_ get tired of you or of us. What we have is the best thing in my life and I'll never willingly leave you – not while I have breath in my body. The only thing I ask is that you don't push me away. We can get through anything if we're together. I can give you all the space you want or need, I just need to feel you here with me; I need to know that you're as committed to this relationship as I am. If I know that, if I'm sure of that, we can face anything."

"I know," Brennan softly but with a sureness in her voice that hadn't been there before. "I love you, Booth, and you're the best thing that has happened to me. I know you'd never leave me and I'd never leave you." It was her turn to reach out and put her hand on his cheek and smiled when he nuzzled it. "We won't lose this because I won't let us."

Booth had to chuckle at the characteristic Brennan declaration. They might not have all that much in common, but no one could deny that both were arrogant and cocky.

"Come here," Booth said as he put a hand behind her neck and pulled her forward. He leaned in and they met halfway in a kiss. It was sweet, gentle and gave them both the comfort they've been missing for three months. When they finally came out for air, they smiled goofily at each other before shifting so that Brennan was nestled into Booth's side.

"Oh, just so you know," Brennan said after a few moments when they've simply enjoyed the closeness. "That look you said you saw earlier, whatever that may be," Booth tensed at the reminder and Brennan rubbed his stomach where her hand was laying. "That wasn't directed at that guy, you know."

He shifted to look at the top of her head, "It wasn't?" He asked, trying to keep his voice expressionless and failing miserably.

"No," she answered with a smile as she too shifted to look up him. "He had just made a gesture that reminded me of you and I was just thinking of you." She explained with a shrug as she turned her head and made herself comfortable on his chest once again.

"Oh," he said, feeling a bit sheepish and thinking that this had all been caused by a misunderstanding. But since he had Temperance back in his arms again, he couldn't find it in him to regret it.

"So," she ventured again after they've been watching the TV in silence for a while. She moved closer as she felt him tightened his arms around her and kissed the top of her head again. "Are we ok?"

Booth smiled and moved to bring her onto his lap. He saw her smile as she helped him adjust to the change in position and felt the connection that he'd been missing and mourning the past few weeks spring back to life. He brought her closer still with his right arm and with his left he nudged her chin up before kissing her deeply and lovingly. After a while they had to stop because of the lack of oxygen and she burrowed into the crook of his neck, he smiled and answered her, "Yeah, we're ok."


	6. Chapter 6

**Breaking Point**

**Disclaimer: **I wish, really wish, they were mine. If they were I'd . . .well, I'm not really sure what I'd do but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be writing fanfic about them. Not that I don't love writing fanfiction, because I do, but if I'd own them, then I'd write a book, publish it and use those lovely royalty to pay all of my school loans - right, I'm awake now, I'm awake and nope I still don't own them.

**A/N: **Well, this story was supposed to be done. But I posted it over at the boneyard (I actually know what that is now; it took me months before I figured it out) and their comments inspired me to keep writing - especially when they asked about Angela's reaction. So my muse started working and before I knew it, I had more to say. As opposed as when I originally started writing this story, now I have no idea where this is going or when I'll finish it, especially since I still have about four other on-going stories I have to finish. But, I do know that it'll be mostly fluff to make up for the earlier angst. And I just might see if I can bring Bones around to the idea of marriage and still keep her in character. We'll see. Please let me know what you think. Oh, one more thing, I did use stronger language in this chapter than I've used before. I hope it doesn't offend anyone and I guess I better bumped up the rating too. Let me know if I don't choose the right rating.

**Chapter 6**

"Angela," Hodgins turned and saw his wife was sitting up in bed. "Come down here and go to sleep."

"I can't sleep, Jack." She said looking down. "I'm too worried about Booth and Brennan."

"I know, honey." He soothed. "But there's nothing we can do right now. Besides, I'm sure they'll work it out; they always do."

"I don't know," Angela shook her head. "You didn't see Booth tonight."

"No, I didn't." he agreed. "But I know that however angry he might be at the doc, he loves her and he'll make it right."

"But that's the thing," Angela pointed out. "He wasn't really angry, Jack. He was sad and defeated; I've never seen him that way. He was ready to give up on Bren."

"I know, Ange," Hodgins sighed. He had heard all this before, but apparently Angela was so worried that she felt the need to repeat the same information. "But I'm sure that'll change once they talk. They'll straighten everything out and get back together, you'll see."

"Yeah, maybe," Angela agreed. "But I don't know if that'll be a good thing or not." She added, voicing a concern she had never really been able to.

"What do you mean?" Hodgins asked, surprised. He sat up and settled against the headboard next to her. "I thought you wanted them to get back together."

"I want them to be happy," Angela corrected.

"Yes, but you always said that they needed to be together to be happy." He pointed out. "You changed your mind?"

"I don't know anymore," Angela lamented. "That's why I'm so confused. The romantic in me wants to say that they'll only be happy together but the realistic in me has to acknowledge the possibility that maybe they'll be better off apart." She paused.

"Baby," Jack said. "Since when do you listen to your realistic side?" Angela smiled.

"I know, I know. I usually only listen to the romantic side but," she sighed, "you should have seen his eyes, Jack. He was really devastated. He'd been feeling her grow apart from him for months but had no idea why. And tonight, he seemed determined to give up. He said he couldn't take it anymore, that he didn't feel like Brenn was 'there' anymore, you know? And what was the point in keep trying if she wasn't?"

"Yeah," Jack agreed. "The doc has been acting weird lately – really distant. But I though it was just with us."

"No," Angela said, shaking her head. "She's also been that way with him. I don't know Jack," Angela said with a deep sigh. "They've been together four years now, if she can still pull away after all this time, then what it the point? If she can't really let the past go and give Booth what he needs, then maybe it would be best if he just gave up. And I'm not necessarily talking about getting married and having kids but about having a really committed relationship. One where they communicate, share things, and where there's no doubt about eachother's commitment to the relationship. If they don't have that – trust, communication, _and _respect as well as love, then what _is_ the point?" She repeated.

"I don't know, honey." Jack sighed. He was starting to feel depressed too. Booth and Brennan had been a couple for so long that it was weird thinking of them as anything but; however, Angela was making very good points. Maybe it would be for the best if they ended.

"If she can't get past this need to pull away, then they're just going to keep hurting each other. However much they might love each other, if Brennan can't learn to live in the present and love Booth like he needs and deserves-- then I'm afraid they're going to end up hurting each other so much that eventually they're going to end up hating each other."

"Ange," Jack protested. "Don't you think that's a little harsh?"

"No," Angela answered simply but firmly. "There really is a very thin line between hate and love Jack. Only the ones we really love can really hurt us. But what happens when despite how much you love that person, they just can't give you what you need and instead continually hurts you? How much can you take? How much can Booth take before he can't stand being around Bren anymore?" Jack shot her a dubious look. "I know he'll always love her," she added. "But you can't always live with the person you love. Just like we can't choose who we love, we can't always be with them. And sometimes the smart thing-- the best thing-- is to be apart. No matter how much it might hurt at the beginning, it's the only way to ensure that they don't destroy each other in the end."

"I don't know Ange." Jack shook his head. "Maybe you're right; but I'd sure hate to see them break up. Do you really think Booth is at the point?"

"I don't know," Angela answered truthfully as she moved to lay her head on Jack's shoulder. "He was really hurt, frustrated, and angry. You should have seen his face when he called her Brennan, Jack. I've seen him in a lot of moods, but never so cold. Not even when he was interrogating child killers. And Bren," Angela shook her head. "She looked stunned, like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water over her head. I hate to say it," Angela added. "But, she sort of deserved it; she has been really acting like a prime bitch."

"Angela!" Jack protested a bit surprised at her reaction. "She's your best friend."

"Yeah, she is," Angela agreed. "That doesn't mean that I'm blind to her faults or that I can't see when she's being a real pain." She paused for a minute before continuing. "I was really hard on her tonight – maybe too hard, I don't know. But I was just so angry at her. I mean, Booth was there looking like someone had died and she didn't get it. She really didn't understand that he wasn't just blowing up but was really hurt. I don't think she really understood that he was really walking out until he called her 'Brennan.' I think she's so used to him being there that she didn't really process the fact that he was leaving - even when she was talking about her being the one who was dumped."

"She said that?" Jack asked.

"Yeah," Angela answered. "Right when I was leaving to go after Booth and see if I could help, she stopped me and asked what I was doing, that I was her friend and she was the one that had been dumped and so I should help her."

"And what did you say?"

"That Booth was my friend also and that at that moment he needed my help more than she did."

"Ouch," Jack commented. "What'd she said to that?"

"She didn't understand," Angela said with another shrug. "Like I said, she hadn't really noticed that he was hurt too."

"How did she get so out touch with things?" Jack wondered.

"I don't know," Angela repeated. It seemed to be the answer of the night. "But I hope that tonight was a wake up call. I tell you one thing, though, she was really surprised when I left her there and went after Booth. She's as used to me holding her hand as she's to Booth being there through all her crap. She's taken us for granted and tonight was an eye opener." They felt silent for a while then, both thinking about the situation and wondering how their friends' relationship had deteriorated so much in such a relatively short time; and both grateful that their marriage and relationship was still as strong as ever. Eventually they fell asleep, both worried about what tomorrow would bring for their friends but both happy and secure in their relationship.

---------------------------------------

Angela awoke early the next morning. She thought about calling Brennan but decided to wait until they met at the museum. Whatever the outcome of the night before, the details would be best shared in person. Jack grumbled about being woken up so early, but he nevertheless got up. They were at the museum much earlier than their usual time, both surprised to find themselves the first ones there.

"That has to be a good sign, right?" Jack asked. "It means they made up and they stayed up late celebrating."

"Or," Angela said, being the voice of reason and restrain for one of the few times in her life, "It might mean that they broke up for good and Brennan stayed up drinking."

"Come on, Angela." Jack whined. "I've never seen you so pessimistic."

"Yeah, well." Angela said with a frown, hating feeling that way. "I can't help it. I'm worried and for the first time I'm not sure that love will conquer all."

"Well," Jack sighed, realizing there wasn't anything he could say to make her feel better, "I'll be in my office going over some results if you want to talk some more, ok?"

"Yeah, ok." Angela said absentmindedly. She walked to Bren's office to wait for her. She stopped halfway there, turned around and went back to where Jack was standing. Reaching up, she gave him a big kiss. When she pulled back he had this goofy, surprised look on his face. Angela laughed.

"I love you," she said as she gave him another, smaller kiss. "And thank you for being there last night. I know that I was something of a wet blanket last night."

"Don't worry about it," Jack interrupted her. "I didn't mind."

"No, I know you didn't," Angela agreed. "And that's why I want to thank you."

"You don't have to," he disagreed. "It's part of the service.

"Maybe I don't have to," Angela said with a smile. "But I want to. So, thanks," she repeated as she reached up to kiss him again.

"Ok, well, you're welcome," he said before giving her a longer kiss. "Talk to you later."

"Yeah," Angela said. "Later." With that each left for an office; Hodgins for his and Angela for Brennan's.

Angela meant to sit and wait patiently for Brennan but the late, not so restful night had taken its toll and she fell asleep within fifteen minutes of sitting down. She slept until Brennan walked in a few hours later.

"Angela," Brennan said upon seeing her friend fast asleep on her couch. "Angela!" she repeated louder when the other woman didn't move at all.

"Ah!" Angela as she jerked awake. "Brennan, jeez, trying to give me a heart attack?"

"No," Brennan answered seriously to what had been a hypothetical question. "I wasn't. I just wanted to know what you were doing sleeping in my office. Need anything?"

"No," Angela answered. "Well, yes. I want to know what happened last night. Did you see Booth? Were you able to work things out or are things still the same? Did you think things through?" She asked, all in one breath. She studied Brennan very closely to see if she could tell something from her face. Unfortunately, the only thing she could she in the other woman's face was that she appear to be well rested, which, if she thought about it, could be an answer in itself. Brennan took the time to go to her desk and put her things away before answering. She knew that Angela was anxious for answers, and she didn't want to torment her, but she was still smarting from how Angela had treated her last night.

"How would you like me to answer?" Brennan asked as she leaned against her desk. "In chronological order on in the order you asked them?"

"Brennan, come on!!" Angela cried out, exasperated. "I don't care how you answer as long as you answer."

"Ok, ok," Brennan said as she walked to sit in the couch next to Angela. "I thought about everything you've said and I followed my heart. I went and talk to him, and it wasn't easy. He, he didn't want to talk to me. I've never seen him so cold-- it was like he was a different person. That must have been how he looked when he was on a Ranger on a mission."

"I know," Angela agreed. "He actually creeped me out a little when his eyes went blank."

"Yes," Brennan nodded. "It took me a while and more courage than I thought I had, but I was able to finally get him to listen to me. I explained what had been going on and he understood. We're fine now."

"You are?" Angela reclined back on the sofa. Brennan, who had been sure Angela would have been excited about the news, was taken aback at her low key reaction.

"Yes, we are." Brennan answered slowly. "Angela, what is?" She asked as she leaned forward on the couch to rest her arms on her legs. "I thought you'd be excited but it's almost like you're disappointed."

"No," Angela argued. "Of course I'm not disappointed. It's just. . ." she sighed, "Both you and Booth are my friends and I want you to be happy."

"We are," Brennan said. "We're happy together."

"I know," Angela said.

"But?" Brennan may not be great at social interaction, but even she heard the unspoken 'but'.

"But I just don't want to see either of you hurt." At Brennan's confused face, she continued. "I know you love each other . . ." When she hesitated again, Brennan lost some of her patience.

"_But?" _she repeated again. She was getting tired of the pauses. Angela still didn't respond. "For God's sake, Angela!" Brennan shouted, finally losing it. "Would you just spit it out? You've never had any problem saying what you meant before."

"Ok, ok." Angela gave in. "I'm just worried that if you aren't really committed to this relationship you both are going to end up really hurting each other."

"But we _are_ committed to the relationship," Brennan protested.

"You have to be in the _now_, Bren. You can't keep doing this back and forth dance or you'll destroy Booth and yourself."

"Oh, come on, Angela!!" Brennan exclaimed as sitting down in a huff. "You're going on like I'm doing this sort of thing all the time. In the four years I've been with Booth, this is the first time I've panicked this way."

"Are you sure?" Angela asked as she stared into Brennan's eyes.

"Yes," Brennan said firmly. She paused momentarily. "Yeah, Ok, I've had mini panic attacks before but they didn't last long and they really didn't create any problems with Booth. This is the first time I've actually pulled back from him since we began."

"Yeah," Angela agreed. "And maybe if you had done it before I wouldn't be so worried."

"I don't understand," Brennan said shaking her head. "First, you say you're worried because I shouldn't pull away from Booth so much and now you're saying that you're worried because this is the first time I've done it. Make up your mind, Angela, because you're not making any sense."

"Maybe not," Angela agreed, shaking her head. "I'm just worried, sweetie. Because if you can pulled away him after four years when we all thought you've settled happily into domestic bliss, then who's to say you won't do it five, ten, twenty years down the road?"

"Domestic bliss?" Brennan asked with a snort. "Please Angela, what are we in? A fairy tale? Besides, I may not have panicked before but Booth and I have had our share of problems."

"Of course you have," Angela agreed. "No relationship is perfect and everyone has problems but all in all you've been happy. So, how can you know you won't do it again? Especially if you don't know why you did it this time?"

"But I do know what happened," Brennan argued.

"You do?" Angela asked surprised.

"Yes, I do." Brennan answered again, firmly. "I heard what you told me last night, Ange. Before I went to Booth's, I really thought about what I wanted and what I was willing to do. Because you were right, Booth deserves to be happy and to receive what he needs; and I needed to be sure I could be that before I even tried to right things between us."

"Good," Angela said. "good."

"And you were also right about me acting like a bitch for the past three months." She admitted. "But, Angela, I've only been a bitch for these past three months. Before that I might not have been the perfect girlfriend but I _was_ a good girlfriend. And you know what else," she added quickly as she unloaded some of the hurt and frustration she'd felt at Angela's treatment. "I was the perfect girlfriend for _Booth_. Yes, we fight but that's who we are. And yes, I've panicked a few times but Booth understands and it's never been a problem until now. But yet, you're going on as if I've been a horrible girlfriend."

"Oh, sweetie," Angela said on a sigh. "Of course you're not. I know that. I guess I've just . . ." She trailed off with a sigh. She leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees, clapping her hands together. She stared at her hands as she began to speak.

"I've just been so angry with you Brennan. And so hurt," she added softly as she finally lifted her eyes to look at Brennan. "You didn't just pull away from Booth, Bren. You also pulled away from everyone – you pulled away from me. You wouldn't talk to me, Bren; you wouldn't tell me what was going on. You were avoiding me."

"Oh, Angela," Brennan scooted closer to her friend and put her arm around Angela's shoulders. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize . . ."

"No," Angela said with a half shrug and a small smile. "It's all right. But I think maybe that's why I've been so hard on you." She paused and turned to Brennan with a smile. "Not that you didn't deserve some tough love because you've really been a bitch," she paused and the two friends shared a smile.

"I know," Brennan admitted. "And I'm really sorry. I never meant to hurt neither you nor Booth."

"That's ok," Angela said with another smile as they shifted apart. Angela leaned back while Brennan stayed sitting forward and turned towards Angela. "At least you realized it now." She said. Brennan nodded. "Can you tell me what's been going on? Why you've been acting like that?" Brennan nodded as she too shifted back and thought about how to answer. Finally she decided to start like she had with Booth.

"Remember when Booth was hurt a few months ago?" She asked.

"When he was grazed by the bullet about three months ago?" Angela asked and Brennan nodded. "He wasn't badly hurt. He didn't even stay overnight at the ER."

"I know but it shook me, Ange. It shook me bad," Brennan admitted.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry," Angela said in sympathy. But she couldn't help saying, "I don't understand, though. That wasn't the first time he's been hurt and it wasn't even a serious injury."

"You're right," Brennan agreed with a nod of her head. "It wasn't the first time he's been hurt nor was it the worst; heck, it wasn't even the first time he's been hurt since we got together. But it _was_ the first time that I wasn't with him; it was the first time that an FBI agent came to tell me as his girlfriend, his next of kin that he was hurt. It was the first time that I was on the other side – on the civilian side. And it was different."

"Why didn't you say something then?" Angela asked after a small silence had fallen.

"Because I didn't realized how much it had affected me and because he wasn't hurt badly and we caught a case right after." Brennan answered.

"Yes," Angela said. "I remember. The Kensley case."

"Yes, that one." Brennan said with a nod. "It was a hard case; the only one where Booth didn't immediately suspect the husband."

"I remember," Angela shifted to keep Brennan in her sight as the other woman got up to pace. Angela got the distinct impression that Brennan still had something on her mind.

"When the case ended, Booth said that some relationships shouldn't continue. That even if two people love each other, some relationships are so dysfunctional that they should end."

"Oh, sweetie," Angela said as she shifted forward. "Tell me you didn't think that you're relationship with Booth was dysfunctional?" Brennan didn't answer, but her face told Angela everything. "Oh, Brennan! How could you have thought that? When you're not pulling away, you and Booth have a great relationship. You guys are as perfect as it gets."

"I know," Brennan said as she leaned against her desk. "I know that now and I knew that then, too but . . . I don't know. Maybe it was because Booth getting hurt shook me up so badly that I let my old insecurities get the best of me. But I started to think that our relationship was one sided. That he did all the giving and I did all the taking. And I realized just how much I depend on him so I thought that if I depended less on him then maybe he wouldn't get tired of me – of us." She paused and sighed before continuing. "And I guess I also thought that if I pulled back a little and didn't depend on him so much I wouldn't be devastated if something happen to him."

"Oh, Brennan," Angela shook her head, not really sure what to say.

"I know, I know," Brennan said before Angela could say anything else. "It was illogical, unreasonable, shit, it was downright idiotic. What can I say? It wasn't really a conscious decision. I didn't really know I was doing it," she said with a shrug. "It was a really busy time both for Booth and me and it was easy to pull back a little and then a little more and then I just fell into old habits. It wasn't really planned, Angela," Brennan added when Angela just looked at her. "And I didn't even realize what I was doing until last night."

"Well," Angela said after a few moments. "At least you realize it now and stopped it. You have stopped it, right? You've talked to Booth about it and everything is fine?"

"Yes, I talked to Booth about it and everything's fine," she said. Angela, however, detected a slight hesitation in the answer.

"Bren? Did you really talk to Booth?" she inquired.

"Yes," Brennan said firmly but at Angela's look she sighed and gave in. "I really did talk to him about most of it. I didn't mention how much his being hurt shook me."

"Brennan! You know that there has to be _real_ communication if a relationship is to work," Angela told her in reprimand.

"I know, Angela. But what could he do? It's just something I have to come to terms with. If I tell him he's going to worry about it and he shouldn't because short of quitting there's nothing he can do. And I don't want him to quit or to worry about this." Brennan explained.

"You have to tell him," Angela insisted. "He may not be able to do anything, but he has to know what you're thinking and what worries you. Hon, he's an FBI agent, that probably wasn't the last time you're going to be told he's been hurt. You both have dangerous jobs. He probably has the same concerns as you and you can work through them together." Angela hesitated a bit, not sure whether she should add what she was thinking but at the end she decided she had to say it. "And Brennan, Booth might one day be more than just hurt. That's a possibility you have to acknowledge and accept and you two should really talk about it."

"I know," Brennan admitted quietly. "I'll talk to him." She promised.

"Good," Angela said. With a slap to her legs she got up. She walked up to Brennan and hugged her

"I _am_ very happy that you two worked things out, sweetie. You two are a perfect couple and things wouldn't be the same if you weren't together."

"Thanks, Ange, for everything." Brennan said returning the hug. "We're good, right?"

"Yes, sweetie, we're good." Angela said pulling back. The two friends shared a laugh. "Ok, let's get to work."

Brennan nodded and together they went to outside to continue with the work of giving the dead their names back.


	7. Chapter 7

**Breaking Point**

**Disclaimer: **Nope, not mine. Actually, the only thing I own besides my law degree is my TV, DVD and laptop. If anyone sues me, they'd have to get in line behind all the school loans people before they could collect anything. So, please don't, and save everyone the hassle.

**A/N: **This would have been out last night, but as you might know, there was something wrong with it. I want to thank my beta Ann for her help and everyone that's following the story. I'm sorry is so long between chapters but 'The Men form the Gate' is taking most of my time; I promise though to work each one in turn. Oh, I might go on a trip in a few days, down to Lima (that's in Peru) so, it might be a while before I post anything. But I don't know yet and it doesn't mean I'm going to forget the stories. I promise I'll finish both and if you guys have suggestions as to what you'd like to see, let me know.

**Chapter 7**

By lunch time, Brennan was immersed in identifying soldiers from WWII and had completely forgotten that she had made plans with Booth to go to lunch. Though lunch dates had been a common occurrence throughout their relationship, they had been glaringly absent in the last three months. That absence had contributed to the distance that had grown between them and when Booth had said the night before that he missed the meals they used to share, she had realized just how much she too missed spending that time with him. That was why when Booth arrived and asked if she was ready she said yes even though she had totally lost track of the time and was at a point in her examination where she usually would not have left.

"Just let me go get my bag," she said as she stepped down for the platform and went into her office. Booth nodded as he followed her with her eyes.

"Hey, Booth," Angela said as walked up to him from behind. "How are you?"

"Hey, Ange," he said as he leaned down to kiss her cheek. "I'm fine."

"Good," she said after she examined him closely. "I was really worried about you two after last night," she confessed.

"I know, Ange," he said with a nod. "And I really appreciate it. You're a good friend, Ange, to both of us."

"I'm just glad that everything worked out," Angela said with a smile as she lightly squeezed his arm.

"So am I," Booth said fervently. He turned and smile when Brennan walked up to them. "Ready?"

"Yes, let's go," Brennan said and then turned to Angela, "We're going to lunch. I should be back in an hour."

"Have fun, sweetie," Angela said as Booth put his arm around Brennan's waist and guided her out of the lab.

"So," she asked as she wrapped her arm around his waist under his suit jacket. "Can I drive?"

"Bones, Bones," he answered shaking his head. "In the last seven years, have you driven much?"

"No," she shook her head with a frown. "I've only driven when you've been injured or were trying to cheer me up." And then with a smirk, she added, "Or when I've been able to blackmail you."

"Ok, then," Booth said as they walked towards the car. "Am I injured?" he asked and she shook her head. "Are you in need of cheering up?" she thought about saying yes but ended up shaking her head at his sharp glance. "And do you have anything you can use to blackmail me?" Again, she shook her head with a huff. "Well, then," he said with a smug grin as he opened the passenger's side door and helped her in. "There's your answer."

"You know," she said as he got in on the driver's side. "You really should work on your control issues. It's not healthy to feel like you have to be in charge all the time. It's probably some sort of compensation for something."

Booth stopped turning the key and just turned and stared at her. After a moment of silence, he asked incredulous, "Seriously? You're telling me about control issues?"

"Yes, seriously," she answered. "It's a real problem. You should talk to Gordon-Gordon about it."

"Ah, Bones," Booth said with a grin and a shake of his head. "Only you."

"What?" she asked with a frown. "What only me? What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing," he said as with a laugh he started the car. "It's just that, and this is leaving aside the fact that you don't believe in psychology, you telling me I have control issues is like the pot calling the kettle black."

"What?" she asked again, perplexed. "What do a kettle and a pot have to do with this?"

"Nothing, Bones." Booth answered with another laugh. "Absolutely nothing. And you're still not driving."

"Hmmph," she said as she sat back with a pout. "I still say you should let me drive some times. We are partners; we should share everything equally."

"We do share equally," Booth argued. "You study the bones and I arrest the bad guy. You deal with the squints and I deal with the suspects. I drive and carry the gun and you complain about it," he added hiding a grin, just to get a rise out of her. At her predictable lecture about the pigheadedness of the alpha male, Booth finally felt the last of the worry he'd been feeling evaporate.

The conversation of the night before had been great and they had truly reconnected but it wasn't until that moment when they engaged in their typical bickering that he knew they were back. He'd been worried that maybe there'd be some awkwardness left, especially when they were back in the real world but it seemed he'd been worried for nothing.

Fifteen minutes later, they were seated in their usual table at the diner. Brennan picked up the menu while Booth motioned to the waitress that they wanted coffee. When he turned back to Brennan, he saw that she was still buried behind the menu. He shook his head, knowing that despite how closely she studied that menu she was going to ask for the same thing as always.

"Thank you," Booth told the waitress when she brought their coffees. "I'll have the usual, please," The waitress nodded and turned to Brennan.

"And you Dr. Brennan?" she asked. Brennan put the menu down and folded her hands on the table.

"I'll have the usual," Brennan said, ignoring Booth's knowing smirk.

"So," Booth said once the waitress had left. "How long are you going to sulk?" He asked conversationally as he stirred sugar into his coffee.

"I'm not sulking," Brennan denied as she stirred her coffee cup with more strength that was necessary.

"No, of course you're not," Booth said with the same knowing grin. "My bad," he apologized and it obvious he was trying not to laugh.

"Oh, shut up," Brennan told him with a reluctant smile of her own. "I still think you should let me drive sometime."

"Come on, Bones, give it up," Booth said as he put his coffee cup down. "You're not going to drive. Just chalk it up to my alpha male tendencies."

"You have too many of those, you know," Brennan complained but she grinned as she said it. The truth was that she secretly liked some of those tendencies – as long as they didn't get out of hand.

"Probably," Booth agreed, with a shrug. "But you love me anyway," he told her with a waggle of his eyebrows. The waitress came by with their lunch before Brennan could come up with a comeback.

"How's the day going?" Booth asked as the waitress left.

"Normal," Brennan answered as she started eating. "Since we finished the case yesterday, I've worked on the paperwork for a while and then started on a new body from limbo."

"No exciting, exotic new find for you to identify?" Booth asked as he slapped Brennan's hand away from his fries. "Why don't you ever get your own?"

"Because they taste better when they're from your plate," She winked at the dumbfounded look on his face and stole another fry. "And no, there hasn't been an exciting find for a while," she answered his earlier question with a small frown.

"Don't worry," Booth told her as he patted her hand in mock consolation. "I'm sure they'll find some really old bones for you to play with very soon." She made a face at his facetious comment and he laughed.

"Did you talk to Angela?" He asked after a few moments of silence during which they enjoyed their lunch.

"Yes," she answered with a grin as she put down her glass of water. "She was waiting for me in my office when I came in this morning."

"She was really worried last night," he remarked looking into her eyes.

"I know she was," Brennan agreed as she put down her sandwich. "She was also angry and very hurt," she told him as she played with the napkin. When he didn't say anything, she brought her eyes up to his face and found that he was staring intently at her. "You weren't the only one I pulled away from."

"I know," Booth said quietly. "I wasn't sure if you did."

"I didn't," she confessed as she traced lines on the condensation of her glass of water. "Not until she mentioned it. But it explained why she was so . . . hard on me last night."

"But you're ok now, right?" Booth asked as continue to study her closely.

"Yeah, we talked and everything is fine," she said but it was clear from her behavior that there was something else she wanted to say.

"What is it?" He finally asked when she continued to fidget but hadn't said anything.

"It's just that," she hesitated for a minute and then said, "You know I love you, right?"

"Yes," he said slowly as he leaned forward. "And I love you. But why . . .?" He trailed off and looked at her expectantly.

"When we were talking, Angela reminded me that for a relationship to work there must be real communication," Brennan said finally.

"She's right," Booth agreed with a nod. "But I thought we had really communicated last night."

"We had," Brennan hastened to reassure him.

"What is it, then?" he asked. "I can tell something's bothering you."

"It's not that I want to keep anything from you," she said as she put down her glass after taking a quick sip. "I just didn't want you to worry and it's not like you can do anything about it."

"Bones," Booth said, exasperatedly. He was going to go on but stopped at the look of her eyes. It was obvious that she was torn about whatever it was that was bothering her. "If something is bothering or worrying you, I need to know about it. Even if I can't do anything about it – 'a bad shared is a bad halved' and all that."

"What?" Brennan said, shaking her head. "I don't know what that means."

"It . . ." Booth stared to say and then just shook his head with a chuckle. "You know what, just forget about it. Tell me what's worrying you," he urged her as he picked up a fry.

"You know when I said last night that your getting shot three months ago wasn't directly responsible for the way I've been acting?" she asked as she picked up her sandwich and put it back down.

"Yes," Booth answered. "But that wasn't exactly true, was it?" He'd had a feeling that there had been more to her reaction that she'd let on last night.

"No," she admitted. "Not that what I said last night isn't true; because it is. But you getting shot really shook me; it shook me more than I let on or even realized at the time. Maybe I wouldn't have reacted as strongly to that case if you getting shot hadn't shaken me so much."

"I don't understand," he said as he shifted in his seat. "Why did it upset you so much? That wasn't the first time and it wasn't the worst. It wasn't even the first time I was shot since we've been together," he made the same arguments she herself and Angela had made.

"I know," Brennan answered as she broke off a piece of bread. "And that's why I didn't realize how much it affected me until recently." She paused for a minute before going on. "But it was the first time that I wasn't there when it happened. It was the first time that an FBI agent called to tell me you were in the hospital. It was the first time that I was contacted as the next of kin and I had no idea what had happened or had bad off you were. It was the first time that I was on the side of the civilian and let me tell you it's not a good place to be."

"Bones," he said as he reached for her hand. "I . . . I don't know what to say. I had no idea."

"No, of course you didn't," she said as she squeezed his hand. "You had no reason to know. And I'm not telling this now to make you feel guilty; I'm just trying to let you know what I was feeling."

"I know," Booth said with a nod of his head. "Still, I can't help but feel a little guilty; after all, you went through all that because of me."

"Booth, I knew you were FBI and what that meant when we started our relationship. I knew that you have a dangerous job." She reminded him as she squeezed his hand again and smiled at him. "I know, better than most, the risks you take and the dangers you face – because I'm usually right next to you. And that's the thing, you see. I'm always by your side and I guess I just expected that I'd always be by your side and that we'd face anything dangerous together. And, illogically, somehow I thought that as long as we were together nothing bad would happen to either of us. That if I was there, I'd somehow be able to protect you; that as long as we were together we could get out of any situation – no matter how bad it seemed."

"Bones, that's . . ." Booth said with a small smile.

"Illogical, ridiculous, irrational," she supplied with a grimace as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"No," he said as he shook his head with a tender smile. "I was going to say that's a lovely and sweet thing to say."

"Unscientific, foolish, unreasonable more like," she mumbled and he laughed.

"It's none of those things," he disagreed. "After all of the close escapes we've had, it's a perfectly natural sentiment. One which I share. Why do you think I don't like to have you out of my sight?" He asked and she shrugged as she stole another fry. "It's because I just know that you'll get into trouble if I'm not there to protect you. Unreasonable or not," he added when she opened her mouth to protest, "The fact is, that like you, I feel that we can overcome anything as long as we're together. I know that you can take care of yourself, but that doesn't stop me from worrying about you when I'm not there to make sure you're fine."

"I know," she agreed. "I feel the same way. When I heard you'd been injured it was the first time I realized I couldn't always been there – that I wouldn't always be there. And I guess that was the first time I really realized that one day I could get a call saying that you . . . you . . ." she swallowed hard and trailed off, not able to finish the thought.

"Temperance," he said softly as he put down his sandwich and reached forward to once again hold her hand. "I know. It's not easy being with a law enforcement officer; living with the danger and fear. I feel it too, you know. You might not be an FBI agent but you take as many chances as I do and you're more reckless than I am. And you've made quite a few enemies -- not to mention all the people we investigate that want to silence you. It's not easy," he repeated with a sigh and another squeeze of her hand. "But we can't let the fear paralyze us or stop us from living a normal life."

"I know, Booth," Brennan agreed quietly. "Intellectually, I know that; now, I know that. But at the time and with everything else going on," she shrugged. "I didn't even acknowledge it; I just pushed it aside, buried it deep down."

"Where it festered and grew and affected how you thought and acted without you even being aware of it," he finished for her with a nod of his head. "That's why we can't hide our fears or bury them. We need to acknowledged them if we're to overcome them. And that's why _we_," he gestured between the two of them as he put emphasis on the 'we', "need to be honest with each other about our feelings, fears or worries. It's unreasonable to think we won't ever be afraid or worried, that's part of being human. The only thing we can do is to recognize those emotions and then deal with them – together. We have to be honest with ourselves and with each other. If we are honest and open, and we love and trust each other and are committed to each other, then we can get through anything together. I know we can."

"I love you," she repeated quietly but firmly. "And there's no one I trust more or anything I'm more committed than us. But . . ."

"It's not easy for you to share your feelings, I know," he said when she trailed off. "It's never been easy for you to let anyone in; and with your past, that's understandable. And I know that you've let me in, Temperance, more than anyone else. But if we're going to make this work, you need to let me in completely."

"I know, Booth, I know," Temperance agreed. "I have to let the past and my fears go and I have to live in the now. And I will, I promise."

"Temperance, all I asked is that you let me know what goes on in your mind," Booth said as he leaned back and turned his attention back to his lunch.

"I will," Brennan promised as she too turned her attention to her lunch. A few moments later Brennan asked Booth about his day and with a grin, he started to tell her all the stories he hadn't been able to share with her in the last three months.

"You have Parker this weekend, don't you?" Brennan asked him after the waitress took away their lunch plates and brought their desserts.

"Yeah," Booth answered after enjoying his first bite of pie. "I'm picking him up tonight at six."

"If you can pick me up at 5:30, I can go with you to pick him up," she offered simply and watched stop eating and stare at her. "What?" she asked with the spoon halfway to her mouth.

"You want to go with me to pick him up?" Booth asked just to be sure.

"Yes," Brennan answered promptly. "I haven't seen Parker in a while and I've miss him." She then stopped as she thought of something, "Unless you think I'll be intruding or he doesn't want to see me."

"No," Booth hurried to reassure her. "You won't be intruding and I know Parker wants to see you."

"He does?" she asked with a shy smile.

"Yes," he nodded. "He asked me just last night if you were going to be with us this weekend. He asked where you've been because he's missed seeing you."

"What did you tell him?" she asked a bit anxiously.

"I told him you've been very busy working," Booth answered simply. "And that I didn't know if you'd have time to see us this weekend. He hoped you did because he has a lot of questions he's been putting together that he wants to ask you."

"He always has the most amazing questions," she said, shaking her head in bemusement. "I don't know where he gets them from."

"He has a good imagination and he likes to prove that you know everything," he told her with a grin.

"But I don't know everything," Brennan protested.

"To an almost eleven year old you do," Booth told her with a shrug. "Heck, sometimes you seem to know everything to me."

"No," she told him seriously, shaking his head. "I may know a lot of academic facts but when it comes to knowing how to live life, you and Angela know more about it than I do." Booth just smiled at her and a small silence fell.

"Hey, we should something special this weekend," Booth proposed as they were leaving the diner.

"Like what?" Brennan asked as she walked out of the restaurant.

"Well," Booth said as he followed her into the street, "We could go somewhere, you know like the zoo."

"The museum?" she asked eagerly.

"No, not the museum, Bones," he denied with a shake of his head. "You work in a museum, don't you get tired of being there everyday?"

"No," she answered simply in a tone that said it should be obvious. "I like museums and I have a feeling that Parker would too. We could go to the Natural History museum, he'd like that."

"He probably would," Booth agreed. "But I was thinking more of something along the lines of going to a park. I know," he said as he opened the SUV's door for her. "Let's have a picnic."

"A picnic?" she asked when he climbed in. "Where? At the Mall?"

"No, not at the Mall," he answered, incredulous. "The Mall is no place to have a picnic; not only are there too many people on a weekend but it's right in the middle of all that traffic and noise. No, I was thinking more of a spot I know by the Potomac. We could take a football, a Frisbee and maybe even some fishing poles. We can try a little fishing." He finished enthusiastically; he was really getting into the idea. Brennan smiled; glad to see him so happy. But fishing . . .

"I don't know, Booth," Brennan said, skeptically. "I don't really see the appeal of fishing."

"You don't see the appeal . . ." Booth said surprised as he turned to look at her. "Ok, well, you can take some books and just sit by us reading and sunbathing while we fish. The point is just to spend the day together, doing something different."

"Ok," she said, nodding. "I can do that; it actually sounds like fun."

"Yes, it does," Booth agreed with a big grin. "Parker's gonna love it; especially because you'll be there," he turned to her and winked as he reached for her hand. "We can stop by a deli and buy some chicken and sandwiches and stuff to take."

"I can make my Mac and cheese tonight for dinner. I usually make more than enough so we can take the leftovers tomorrow," Brennan offered.

"Your Mac and cheese? Seriously?" Booth asked in the tone of a little boy who'd been promised a favored treat.

"Yes, seriously," she responded with a grin. "Though we probably have to go grocery shopping; I don't think you have the ingredients in your house."

"No, I probably don't," he agreed. "I was thinking of going grocery shopping with Parker tonight. That way I can be sure to get what he likes."

"Sounds good," Brennan agreed with a nod. "We can also buy whatever we need for the picnic then. We should take some fruits and vegetables instead of chips and cookies; they're much healthier for you." She mused out loud. "Some sandwiches would probably be better than fried chicken. I should make some lists so that we don't forget anything at the store." She started to look for pen and paper on her bag. "Oh, and juice would be much better than soda."

Booth just grinned and shook his head as she went on organizing the menu for the following day. The good, junk food picnic menu he'd imagine was gone now, replaced by a more nutritious one, but that was a small price to pay to spend the day with his two favorite people in the world.


	8. Chapter 8

**Breaking Point**

**Disclaimer: **Nope, not mine. Actually, the only thing I own besides my law degree is my TV, DVD and laptop. If anyone sues me, they'd have to get in line behind all the school loans people before they could collect anything. So, please don't, and save everyone the hassle.

**A/N: **Well, here's the next chapter. Thanks to Ann, as always and to the ladies of the boneyard whose encouragement is priceless. Hope you enjoy!!!

**Chapter 8**

"Sweetie," Angela said as said as she walked into Brennan's office. "How did lunch go?"

"Um," Brennan said without looking up. "Oh, it went fine," she answered distractely as she continued to work furiously on whatever it was she was working on.

"Did you talk to Booth?" Angela asked as she sat down in the chair in front of Brennan's desk. "Bren, did you talk to Booth?" She asked again when Brennan didn't answer.

"What?" Brennan asked as she finally looked up. "Yes, we talk," she said and immediately turned her attention back to the papers on her desk. The answer had been too casually given, and Angela wasn't sure she believed it.

"Did you really talk to him, Bren?" she insisted. "About what we talked about? You let him know what was bothering you?"

"Yes, Angela," Brennan said on a sigh, even though she still didn't look up. "We really talk; I told him everything."

"That's good," Angela said, as she studied Brennan. "What did he say?"

"He said he understood and that he had some of the same concerns," Brennan told her. "A lot like what you said."

"Ummm," Angela said again and then she couldn't take it anymore. "Ok, Bren, what are you working on?" She finally asked. "Is it your new book?" Angela knew that sometimes Brennan would write down her notes on paper and she must have thought of something good, she was so lost in it.

"What?" Brennan asked, as she looked up. "OH, no. It's not the book. It's nothing really," she said as she tried to cover the papers and passed it off as nothing.

"It can't be nothign if you're so involved in it," Angela argued. "Come on, tell me what it is; you know I'm not going to stop asking until you tell me." Angela said as she leaned forward to try and get a peek at the paper.

"Ok, ok," Brennan said, giving in a lot sooner than Angela would have thought. "I'm just making a list of the things I need to buy in the grocery store."

"You're making a list of the things you need in the grocery store?" Angela repeated in a surprised tone, complete with surprised face. Whatever she was waiting for, it wasn't that. "Of course you're making a list," she said after a moment. "This is you we're talking about, you wouldn't want to go to the store and just pick up stuff."

"Well, no. If I didn't have a list I might forget to get what I need and get stuff I don't," Brennan argued. She then pulled the paper back out, since there was no point in hiding anything anymore. "You don't write a list?"

"Not really," Angela answered with a shrug. "Well, I didn't write a list. But I really haven't been grocery shopping in a long time."

"You haven't . . .?" Brennan started to ask and then remembered. "Of course not, I guess that's one of the benefits of marrying a man with a mansion and servants."

"They're not servants," Angela protested. "But yeah, there's no reason for me to go to the grocery store because Rosa does all the buying and cooking."

"And you don't miss it?" Brennan asked, curious. "I mean you like to shop."

"Not for groceries, sweetie," Angela protested. "No, I don't miss that at all." Angela added as she studied Brennan bend back to the list. "No offense, honey, but since when do you write these lists here at the lab? Since do you wait until the last minute to write it down?"

"Well," Brennan began as she put the pen down and leaned back on her chair. "It's not really waiting until the last minute because I didn't know I'd need groceries until this afternoon."

"You didn't know you'd need groceries until this afternoon?" Angela repeated as she studied the other woman closer still. Now, Brennan may have been the genius one in the friendship but Angela was pretty smart herself and knew how to add one plus one and get two.

"So what happened with Booth that made you decide you needed to go grocery shopping?" she asked with a knowing gleam in her eyes.

"Nothing," Brennan tried to pass it off but knew from the look on Angela's eyes that she wouldn't be able to do it. "Ok, we  
decided to go on a picnic tomorrow. I'm going to make my mac and cheese and we're taking the leftovers and some other snacks. But Booth doesn't have the ingredients for the mac and cheese nor does he have anything suitable for snacks."

"You're going on a picnic?" Angela asked, surprised and delighted.

"Yes," was the simple answer.

"Whose idea was it?" Angela wanted to know.

"Booth's," Brennan answered with a shrug.

"And you're going by yourselves?" was the next question.

"No," Brennan answered with a sigh. "We're picking up Parker tonight and then we're going to go grocery shopping." Angela couldn't stop herself anymore and had to let out a squeel of happiness.

"Oh, sweetie," Angela exclaimed with a grin from ear to ear. "I'm so proud of you!!! You're leaving early to go pick up his son and you're going on a picnic tomorrow. You guys sound just like a happy family!!"

"I don't know about that," Brennan tried to protest but it was half-hearted and Angela just ignored it.

"Yes, you do." Angela said firmly. "Now, whose idea was it for you to go with him to pick up Parker?"

"Well," Brennan said, stalling. She knew as soon as she said it, she was in for another squeel. "Actually, it was my idea."

"Oh," Angela said as she clapped her hands. "I really am proud of you!! So, where are you going? Do you have any plans set?"

"We're going to a spot by the Potomac he knows," Brennan answered as she once again went back to the list. "He said something about taking a ball, frisbee and maybe some fishing poles."

"You're going fishing?" Angela asked, looking dubious. She could see Brennan going to a picnic, but she couldn't really picture her fishing.

"No, I'm not," Brennan answered. "Booth and Parker might; I told Booth I don't see the appeal of fishing, so he said I could  
take some books and I can read while they fish."

"That sounds like a plan," Angela agreed.

"Yeah, that's what I thought," Brennan said. "But I was thinking I could also take my laptop and work on my book for a bit."

"No," Angela immediately shot down that answer. "You can't take your laptop and work when you're on a family outting like that."

"Why not?" Brennan asked with something close to a pout. "He said I could take books and read, what's the difference?"

"It's a big difference," Angela's answer was firm. "One is something you do to relax on a day out; the other is work. You don't do that in a day off. Besides, I know you Bren. If you take your laptop and work on your book, you'll get so involved in it that you'll forget where you are and forget to pay attention to them. The purpose of the day is for you to spend it together, for you to pay attention to them. You won't do any of that if you're wrapped up in writing your book. So, no taking your laptop."

"Ok, ok, geez," Brennan said with a shake of her head. "It was just a thought, you don't have to get all bent out of shape. And anyway, he probably wouldn't have let me."

"No, he probably wouldn't have let you," Angela agreed. "But that would probably have led to an arguement, this way you can avoid one."

"Yeah, yeah," Brennan agreed distractely as she saw the time. "Darn it, is that the time? I better go out and get some work done if I want to get out of here on time."

"Oh, you're leaving on time," Angela said with a big grin as they walked out of Brennan's office. Brennan turned and looked at her with a 'where have you been face.'

"Yes, I told you I'm going with Booth to pick up Parker," Brennan explained again patiently, with the same tone she would explain a difficult concept to Parker.

"I know," Angela said with a wave of her hand. "I'm just very happy that you're leaving early to spend time with Booth and his son."

"Geez, Angela," Brennan protested. "You're going on like this was the first time I leave because of Booth. We've been together for four years already. And I've left on time for one reason or another plenty of times in those four years."

"I know that too," Angela said. "Still, it's been months since you've left on time or to spend time with him. And even after four years, I still think you guys make an adorable couple worthy of a few squeals, don't you?" After shooting that question, Angela smiled and walked away, leaving a thoughtful Brennan behind.

Brennan went up the stairs to the platform and busied herself with the bones there. As she checked Zack's work, she couldn't help but think about what Angela had said. It was true that she and Booth had been together for over four years and with the exception of the past few months, they spent most of their off and on time together. And maybe all that time together, plus their two busy careers, her writing, his son and the everyday living had began to take some of the shine off the relationship. It wasn't that they didn't love each other or need each other anymore; it was more like maybe they've began to take the relationship and each other for granted. The butterflies she used to feel when she thought about seeing him had been coming less and less lately and the occassions when they laughed just because they were together had become fewer and fewer.

The rut they seemed to have fallen into hadn't directely contributed to their recent problems, but she was sure that they couldn't have helped. It wasn't easy to keep a long term relationship new and exciting but it was doable, just look at Angela and Hodgins. Though, Brennan was sure that Booth wouldn't like their relationship to become quite that exciting, she was sure that there must be some middle ground. They just had to find it, because the last thing she wanted was for the relationship to become stale. As Zack called her with a question, she resolved to talk to Booth later that night to settle the matter.

---------------------------

At six o'clock on the dot, Booth pulled up at Rebecca's driveway. "You want to stay here or come with me to the door?" Booth asked as he turned off the ignition.

"I think I'd better wait here," Brennan answered as she nervously looked toward the house. "He doesn't know I'm coming; this way he'll have a little time to come to terms with it."

"I told you," Booth began patientely. "He'll love it that you'll be spending the weekend with us."

"I know you said that," she agreed. "But still, I think it'd be better if I wait over here."

"Ok, have it your way," Booth gave in with a shake of his head. He leaned forward and gave her a kiss before he got off the car and walked up to the door.

Brennan saw as the door was opened and he chatted awhile with Rebecca. A few minutes later, she saw the blond-haired figure of Parker hurry out of the house and rushed towards his father. Though he was almost eleven and was becoming increasingly leery of physical contact, he still participated whole-heartedly on the first hug of every visit and Brennan knew how much those meant to Booth.

She watched with a tender smile as father and son hugged for a long moment. When the moment finally became too long for Parker, he pulled away and Booth let him retreat with a laugh. Booth then turned to Rebecca and said his farewells as he leaned down to pick up Parker's bag for the weekend. Parker kissed his mother and turned to happily follow his dad to the car.

She saw as Booth put his hand on Parker's shoulder and how he very seriously told Parker about Brennan being with them for the weekend. Parker stopped walking as he listened to his father and then very cautiously turned back to the car. Brennan held her breath as she waited to see how the little boy she'd all but abandoned reacted to her presence. Parker looked up at his dad once more before he started to walk very fast towards the car and Brennan. A few steps later and he was running. The huge grin he was wearing took her aback for a few moments but then she recovered and was out of the car to gathered him in her arms when he reached the car.

The two held each other until a smiling Booth reached them. He tussled Parker's hair and couldn't help mouting to Brennan 'I told you.' Brennan just smiled and nodded.

"Dr. Bones," Parker said as he pulled back. Brennan had to smile at the name. She remembered the first time he'd called her that; he told her that since his father had a special name that only he used, it was only fair if he, Parker, had one too. Dr. Brennan was used by everyone and Temperance was too hard and long, he said, but Dr. Bones was perfect because no one but him would ever use it. Brennan had been amazed at his thought process and hadn't even thought before nodding her acceptance. And now, she couldn't imagine being called anything else by him.

"Yes, Parker," she said as she smiled down at him.

"Dr. Bones," he said again. "Are you staying with us for the weekend?"

"Yes, I am, Parker," Brennan answered simply. "Is that ok with you?"

"Yes," he answered nodding his head up and down vigorously. Booth laughed and said, "Ok, guys get in and let's get moving."

"I missed, Dr. Bones," Parker said a few moments later as Booth guided the SUV back into traffic. Brennan shared a glance with Booth before turning to look at Parker.

"I know, Parker," she said with a sad smile. "I missed you too. But I was very busy at work."

"Yes, dad told me," Parker said simply. "Do you think you'll be going away like that again?" He asked with the candor of a child and had Brennan and Booth sharing another glance.

"Parker," she said with a sigh, as she wondered just how she could explain everything that's been going on to an almost eleven year old child. But when she looked into his eyes, she found out that he just wanted reassurance. To her surprise, she found that she was able to give him just that. "No, Parker, that won't happen again. This was a . . . special circumstance that won't repeat itself. I might have to work late once or twice," she added,ever truthful. "But I won't ever again be gone for so long. I promise."

Parker studied her closely with an expression very similar to his father's before he nodded, satisfied with both the explanation and promise.


	9. Chapter 9

**Breaking Point**

**Disclaimer: **Nope, they're still not mine.

**A/N**: Well, here's the next chapter. Please let me know what you think. I have to thank Puppet for all her help on this chapter.

**Chapter 8**

Half an hour later, they were turning into the parking lot of the local grocery store. The drive over had been fun, filled with friendly banter, gentle teasing and quiet laugther. All three were extremely glad to be together again.

"So," Booth said as he turned off the car and turned to look at the two most important people in his life. "You guys want to wait for me while I run into the store?" He asked with a grin.

"NO!" came from both of them. "Daddy I want to go too," Parker insisted as he took off his seatbelt. "Huh!" Brennan said as she too took off her seatbelt, "You think I'm letting you go in there alone? The whole point of this trip was to buy nutritional food; if I let you go in there alone you'll bring anything _but_ nutritional food. Besides, I have the list."

"List?" Booth asked as he took the keys out of the ignition. "You made a list?" He asked as he looked her incredolous.

"Of course," she said, matter of factly, as she climbed out of the car.

Booth shook his head and laughed thinking of course, she made a list. He turned his head to look at Parker, "Well, bud, come on, let's go. We don't want Bones to be alone in there, do we?"

"No, daddy," Parker said as he opened his door. Brennan was waiting for him and immediately took his hand. Booth smiled and after climbing out of the car and locking it, he walked around the car to join them. He put his arm around Brennan's shoulders and smiled at Parker as they walked towards the store.

"Dr. Bones," Parker said and Brennan turned her head to look at him. "Are we really not buying anything good?" He asked with a worried face.

"Of course we are, Parker," Brennan assured him. "Lots of the things we are getting are very tasty." Booth and Parker looked at each other and then rolled their eyes simultaneously.

"Come on, Bones," Booth cajoled. "It's a picnic!! A time to have fun and eat good food."

"Booth," Brennan began only to be inturrepted by Parker.

"Please, Dr. Bones," he said with innocent eyes and a replica of Booth's charming smile. "Can we please buy something besides vegetables and diet stuff?"

"Oh, Parker," Brennan said with a sigh even as she winced at the appearance of the smile, when had he learned that? "We are not getting any diet stuff and we need to get something that is good for you. You're a growing boy, Parker, you have nutritional needs that have to be met. And I know your dad and you, without me or your mom around you guys have probably been living on junk food."

"Oh, Bones," Booth complained as he pulled a cart from the line. "That's not fair. I've actually been cooking for him; haven't I, Parker?" He asked looking over at his son.

"Yes, you have," Parker said, nodding his head.

"Oh, I'm sure," Brennan said sarcastically. "And what has he been making? Mac and cheese, hamburgers, spaghetti?" Parker just looked at his dad, who was making a face at Brennan. "I know your father, Parker, and I'm sure your intake of fruits and vegetables has been appallingly low these past few months."

Parker just shrugged without answering and then asked his dad if he could push the cart. Booth nodded and gave the cart over; he then pulled Brennan closer to his side as they moved towards the produce section.

"Ok, so what do you have at home?" Brennan asked and at Booth's look, she continued. "Right, you don't have any vegetables. Fine, then let's start at the beginning." She guided them to the lettuces, carrots, potatos and the like. When she passed the corn display, she gave a soft exclamation as she picked one up.

"What?" Booth asked as he and Parker stepped closer to her. "What is it?"

"This is Peruvian corn, Booth," she said excitedly as she showed them an ear of corn with bigger teeth and whiter in color than the regular ones.

"Ok, so?" Booth said after he'd looked the corn over. Parker too leaned in to study the vegetable but he didn't share Brennan's enthusiams either. "What's the big deal?"

"So," Brennan said as she picked up at least ten and put them in the cart. "You'll see what the big deal is when you try it tomorrow. It is so much meatier and tastier than regular corn, you'll see." She repeated and he nodded, unconvinced, before he turned to Parker and shrugged his shoulders behind her back.

"Well," Brennan said as she looked into the cart and then at her list a few minutes later. "I think I have everything. The beets we can get in cans."

"Beets," Booth said on a whine. "Oh, Bones, you know I hate those!!"

"Yes, Booth, I know," she said patiently as she stopped to pick up a few avocados. "But Parker happens to like them and they are very good for you. And you have to set a good example, don't you?" She reminded him on a lower tone, making him look towards Parker who had become distracted by some unusual vegetables.

"Dr. Bones," he called out just as Booth reluctantly nodded. "What is this?" He askd as he held up a strange, long, tubular root with dark skin.

"Oh, Parker," she said with interest as she walked to where the child was standing. "That is a yuca or cassava. It is a starchy tuberous root that is native to South America. It is similar to the potato and in many cases can take its place. It's very tasty and good for you."

"How do you eat it?" Parker asked as he continued to turn the yuca in his hands, examining it. "Like a potato?"

"Yes," Brennan answered as she started to pick out a few. "You can boil it and eat it like that; though boiled yuca is usually served with soup. Or you can deep fry it and eat it like french fries." She paused as she examined one before saying, "They taste very good."

"Don't tell me," Booth said as he saw her putting the yuca in their cart. "We're going to try some?"

"Yes," Brennan said as she put down the last yuca and they started to leave the produce section. "I thought I'd fry some tonight and maybe take some tomorrow."

"Fry, Bones?" Booth asked with a grin. "I thought deep fried food had to much grease; that's why we can't have the chicken isn't it?"

"Booth you can't compare them; they're completely different things," Brennan started to protest.

"I don't know, Bones," Booth disagreed with a shrug. "They sound remarkably similar to me."

"This would be an appetizer or side dish, not the main dish. Plus it won't have any spice and I'll drain all the grease," Brennan argued but Parker had been listening and decided to intervene.

"Dr. Bones, does this mean that we won't be eating super healthy stuff?" he asked innocently.

"No, Parker," Brennan said firmly with a glare at Booth. "We'll still be eating very healthy." She finished with a smile at Parker.

"Come on, Dr. Bones," Parker started to plea with puppy eyes and charmed smile. "Can't we please have something good for dessert? Please," he added, giving the smile extra wattage. Both Booth and Brennan were surprised at how natural it came and how effective it was.

"I'll tell you what, Parker," Brennansaid with a sigh, giving in as she'd known she would. "If you promise to eat all your food tonight and tomorrow, without any protest," she added when he opened his mouth to agree. "You can pick out tomorrows dessert."

"Yeah!!" Parker said as he threw his arms in the air in a gesture of victory. He then threw his arms around Brennan's waist and hugged her tightly. "I love you, Dr. Bones," he said softly, but loud enough for the two adults to hear him. Booth and Brennan looked at each other; he was wearing a misty smile and she was wearing a shocked expression. His smile turned to a grin at her deer in the headlights expression and mouthed 'see, told you.' When her expression transformed into a more familiar frown, his grin widened and he mouthed 'I love you, too.' She smiled and tightened her arms around Parker as she leaned down and kissed his head.

"I love you too, Parker," she told the little boy. The son had done the same as his father and had stolen her heart when she wasn't looking. She'd known for awhile that she'd do anything for either of them and that Parker had a special place in her heart but it wasn't until that very moment that she realized sometime over the last four years, Parker had become her child. She still didn't know if she wanted to have children but that no longer mattered because she already had one. Come what may, from that moment on Temperance Brennan was a mom.

Parker himself, unaware of his Dr. Bones's emotional thoughts, broke the moment as he pulled back. He then took her hand and started pulling her toward the bakery section, "Come on, Dr. Bones. Let's go and pick up the dessert!!"

"Hold on, Parker," Brennan said laughing as she tugged the excited boy back. "We have to finish getting everything on my list first, ok?"

"Everything?" Parker asked as he looked at the list Brennan had in her hand; it was a looong list. "Ok," he said with a shrug and then added with a sly look, "Can we also get ice cream? It's made of milk and milk is very good for you; it has calcium, which I need to get strong bones." He said as he nodded his head to show how serious he was.

"Sure," Brennan answered, laughing. "We'll get some ice cream too." She then put her arm around his shoulders and started to walk towards the pasta section.

"Hey!" Booth called out, pushing the cart behind them. "I thought Parker was going to push this thing." He complained, but the other two didn't listen to him; they were too busy talking about Parker's science class. "Oh, fine. Just go ahead and forget about me." He muttered. "And how come he only has to ask for ice cream and he gets it? I asked earlier but did she listened to me? Noooo," he kept up his monologue under his breath. "But him she listened to on the first try. . ." Though he was complaining quietly, Brennan still heard him and without turning around she told him to 'be quiet and hurry up'. Booth stopped for a moment and then hurried up to catch his family, grinning like a loon at the sight of his son and the love of his life so close together.

Almost an hour later, after Parker talked Brennan into getting two different desserts and three different kinds of ice cream, they were waiting their turn on the check out line.

"Where's Parker?" Booth asked, looking around as he walked up to Brennan with the bread they'd forgotten to pick up. She looked up from the new Newsweek she was flipping through.

"He's over in the books aisle," She said as she threw the magazine on the cart. "Seeing if there's something new. He wants to stop by Borders on the way home." She told him as she pushed the cart forward.

"Borders?" He asked, as he looked back towards the books aisle.

"Yes," Brennan nodded as she started to put the groceries on the conveyer belt. "The latest book of his favorite series is out."

"I thought he was checking that out here," Booth replied as he helped her with the groceries.

"No, they don't carry those books here," she told him, just as Parker joined them.

"Hey, Dad, can I get these, please?" Parker asked with a sweet smile, showing him a couple of books. Booth took the books and checked them out before asking.

"So, you want these two books and then another over at Borders?" Booth asked as he waved the books around.

"Yes, please." Parker nodded wearing his own charmed smile. Booth looked at Brennan, who was done with the groceries. She looked back at him and shrugged.

"Now you know how I feel when you use that smile," she told him with a smirk. Booth made a face at her before turning back to Parker.

"Ok, buddy," he said, giving back the books. "I'll get you the three books but there won't be any more books for at least two weeks, ok?" Parker nodded and looked at Brennan from the corner of his eye. "And," Booth added as he caught the look. " there won't be any asking Dr. Bones, either." He told both of them firmly. "Right, Bones? No more books for two more weeks."

Brennan glanced at Booth and looked as if she wanted to argue but at the scowl on Booth's face, she sighed and gave in. "Right Booth, no more books for two weeks." She then turned to Parker and told him, "Sorry, Parker." Parker just shrugged his shoulders.

"That's ok, Dr. Bones," he told her as they moved to the end of the aisle. "Nothing new is coming out for three weeks anyway." Booth looked at them and shook his head as the two started to talk about what books were set to come out next.

Four hours later, they'd had gone to Borders, had dinner, watched a movie and Booth was tucking Parker into bed. Brennan had already gone in to give Parker his kiss good night and had gone to the kitched to get a glass of wine for her and a beer for Booth. She was waiting for Booth to come out, curled up on the couch thinking about the evening.

"Hey," he said as he dropped onto the couch next to her. "What's up?" He asked as he leaned forward to get his beer, before scooting back and snuggling in with her.

"Nothing much," she answered in a thougthful tone that immediately made Booth look at her more closely.

"Nuh uh," he told her as he shifted so he could look at her on the face. "I know that tone and that is not a 'nothing' tone. So, tell me what you got cooking in that overactive brain of yours?" Brennan shifted too and gazed at Booth in silence for a few moments.

"Come on, Bones," Booth insisted. "What it is?" He asked again seriously.

"Angela said something earlier today that made me think," she began. "She said that we are an adorable couple worthy of a few squeals."

"Well," Booth said with a grin. "We are. Or don't you think so?"

"No, I do," she reassured him. "Of course I do. It's just . . ." She shrugged and after another sip of her wine, she continued. "We've been together for 4 years and she was going on as if we just got together. It made me remember how it was back then. And it got me wondering if maybe we're in something of a rut?" Without meaning to, she ended in a question.

"In a rut?" he asked, surprised. "What makes you think that?"

"I don't know," she said with another shrug. "The sparks seemed to have gone." Booth just looked at her for a minute before he swooped down and kissed her hard and long.

"Are they really gone?" He asked her with a naugthy grin, once he finally let them come up for air.

"Well," she said after taking a deep breath. "Not when you do that. But you know, things are not new anymore. The anticipation, the butterflies, they are just not there as much as they used to be. And I got worried that maybe that was part of the reason for the trouble we had."

"Ah, Bones," Booth said, shaking his head. "Has anyone ever told you that you worry too much?"

"Yes," she answered with a slight frown. "You and Angela, all the time."

"Well, that's because you do." He said firmly. "We are not in a rut. Yeah, things are not new anymore and maybe the anticipation is not there as much anymore but that's because things are no longer new. But that's normal, Bones. Things never stay the same nor do they stay new."

"I don't like change," she muttered.

"I know, Bones, I know," he nodded. "I don't think anyone really does, but that's part of life. And not all changes are bad. I mean, do you think we are in a bad place? Leaving the last three months aside, are you not happy with how we are? Tonight, didn't you have fun?"

"No, I don't think we are in a bad place. I love how and who we are. And tonight was the most fun I've had in ages," she said with a smile. "Actually, whenever we are together I have fun; and Parker just makes it that much better."

"There you go then," Booth told her with a grin, before he turned serious again. "Actually, I don't think ruts are that bad myself. What's wrong with finding something you like and sticking with it? And really with our jobs and Angela in our lives, there are always surprises, aren't there?"

"Yes, I guess," she said with growing grin. "You're right. As long as every now and then we shake things up, what's wrong with enjoying a routine?"

"Exactly," Booth said. "Still . . ."

"Still?" She asked, loosing her grin. "What do you mean? You think there's something wrong?"

"No, not wrong," Booth denied, shaking his head. "But I think that maybe it's time to think of taking the next step."

"The next step?" Brennan asked, somewhat apprehensive thinking he might be referring to marriage. She was no longer completely opposed to the idea but she wasn't completely sold on it either.

"Yeah, the next step," he repeated. "What do you think about moving in together?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Breaking Point**

**Disclaimer: **Nope, they're still not mine.

**A/N**: Well, here's the next chapter. With the encouragement of the ladies at the aby, I actually wrote smut. I'm a bit anxious about it so please let me know what you think. I have to thank Puppet for all her help on this chapter. Also, the opinions stated in this chapter are my own and based on living in Alexandria for a number of years. I don't have anything agaisnt DC or it's school system. I don't mean to offend anyone.

**Chapter 10 **

"Moving in together?" Brennan repeated, as she leaned forward and set her wine glass on the coffee table.

"Yes," Booth answered, as he looked at her intently.

"Well," she said, as she shifted so that she was sitting Indian style, facing him. "That's a pretty big step."

"Yes, it is," he agreed, as he too shifted to face her. He rested his right arm on the back of the couch and pulled his right leg underneath him, getting comfortable, for what he knew would be an important conversation. "And I think it's time we took it, don't you?"

"I . . ." Brennan began and trailed off, not knowing what to say. The suggestion of moving in together had taken her completely by surprise. For some reason, she had been sure he was going to mention marriage and, she was ready, with all the reasons why she didn't believe in it. Moving in together had not entered her mind at all, and now that that was the subject brought up, and not marriage, she was at a loss as to what her answer would be.

She was also somewhat let down that marriage had not been the suggestion. It wasn't that she wanted to get married, she didn't believe in it after all, but he did. Not only did he believe in it, but he proposed to Rebecca when they had been going out for a much shorter time than her and Booth had been. She knew the circumstances had been different, what with Rebecca pregnant and all, but she couldn't help wondering if maybe he didn't want to marry her and why would that be. She, of course, forgot all about the many lectures she'd given Booth about how marriage was antiquated and not needed.

"Temperance," Booth said, when it became obvious she wasn't going to continue. "Tell me what you're thinking," he urged.

"It's just," she began, as she leaned forward, picked up her glass, and took a sip of wine. "Moving in together . . . I've never really moved in with anyone. You really think we're ready?"

"Yes," he said firmly, as he leaned forward. "Temperance we've been together four years now. For the past two years, with the exception of the last three months, we've practically lived together anyway. This would just make it official."

"Yes," Brennan said, as she twirled the glass stem. "But . . ."

"But, what, Bones?" he asked. "Tell me what's going on in that head of yours?" He demanded, with a smile, as he put his hand under her chin and lifted her head up.

Brennan looked into his eyes and saw only love, tenderness, and commitment and she had to ask herself, what was holding her back? Why couldn't she just be happy that the man she was in love with wanted to live with her? Even after everything they'd gone through and everything she'd just put him through, he still wanted to live with her, and what was she doing? Instead of jumping at the chance, here she was hesitating. Why?

Because, despite the fact that she had a take charge, take no prisoner kind of attitude at work, when it boiled down to the relationship side of the coin, she was a coward. It was as simple as that. She had no clue what she was doing; and she was never comfortable in a situation when she wasn't sure of herself. Then again, this whole working together and having a relationship had been new ground for her. And as scary as it had been at the beginning, it had worked out, and she was glad that she had listened to and trusted him and had embarked on the adventure with him. So, why not listen to him now?

The only thing keeping her from saying yes was fear. Was she really going to keep letting fear rule her life?

"I'm just wondering," Brennan said, with a small smile, as she leaned forward to put down her wine glass, "which place would be better for us to move into, yours or mine?"

"Which . . .?" Booth started to ask, surprised, as a huge smile crossed his face. "Are you sure?"

Brennan's smile grew, as she saw the sparkle in Booth's eyes and she knew that she had made the right decision.

"Yes," she answered, nodding "I'm sure."

"Woo Hoo!!!" Booth shouted and then sheepishly looked towards Parker's room and said in a lower voice, "Yes! I love you, Bones!" He then swooped down and pulled her into his arms and kissed her deep and long and hard.

When lack of oxygen required them to pull back, Booth started raining kisses down her neck to her collarbone.

"So," Brennan said, as she leaned her head back to give him more room, "as nice as the idea of living together is, do you think either of our places is big enough? I mean, I need an office, Parker needs a room, and you should probably have a room of your own and . ."

"Well, Bones," Booth said, as he started to kiss his way back up to her ear. "We should probably just get a new place – a bigger place, that would be ours and not mine or yours."

"That sounds nice," Brennan said, as she smoothed her hand across his chest, while he nibbled her earlobe. "Oh, that feels nice," she breathed. "Yes, right there," she whispered, as she tilted her head even more, to give him more space.

"I was thinking that maybe a house would be nice," Booth said, as he gently pulled her lower lip with his teeth, sucking on it before letting it go.

"A house?" she asked, as she leaned back to look him in the eyes.

"Yes," Booth said, as he took a deep breath and also retreated a bit. This was a conversation that should probably be had with a clear head. "A house would have all the space we'd need. Parker would have his own room and a backyard." And then because he knew her better than she knew herself sometimes, he added, "And you'd have your own office and all the space you would need for when and if you feel the need to be alone."

"Yes, but a house?" Brennan asked, again. She hadn't lived in a house since she was fifteen and her parents had left, and had never really felt comfortable with the idea of living in a house again. "Apartments are so much more convenient, don't you think?" She asked, with a small grimace. "I mean with a house, you have to mow the lawn in the spring and summer and in the winter you have to shovel the snow. Plus, there's no maintenance you can call when something breaks down. You have to do all that yourself."

"Bones," he said with a grin "since when are you scared of hard work? Going to war torn countries and identifying bodies is your idea of a vacation."

"That's different," she denied with a shrug, "one's work related, the other one is not."

"And if it's not work related, you're not interested, huh?" When she shook her head, he laughed and said, "Well, don't worry. I'll do the mowing and the shoveling and any repairs that come up. You won't have to worry about it."

"Well," Brennan said, sounding unsure.

"Come on, Bones," Booth coaxed, sounding very much like Parker had earlier in the store. "It'll be fun. Just think about it; we can look for a house that suits all our needs and then we can fix it just how we want it. You can decorate it however you want and it won't be mine or yours but ours. Doesn't that sound nice?"

She had to admit that the more he talked about it, the better it sounded.

"Ok," she said, with a laugh, "it does sound nice. But where should we look for a house? Here in DC?"

"In DC?" he asked, incredulously. "You're kidding right. The only houses you can get in the District are either in bad neighborhoods or they're in the uppity ones that we can't afford."

"Well," Brennan argued "we could afford it if . . ."

"No," Booth argued back, before she even finished speaking, "we can't; maybe you can. But we're not getting a house that only you can afford. And no," he said when she opened her mouth to protest, "I'm not being a pig-headed alpha male. I'm not insisting that only I pay for it but, I do insist that we both pay for it, _equally_."

"Yes, ok," she said, giving in easier than usual, since she had always insisted in equal participation. She couldn't very well argue against it now. "So, where should we look if DC is out?"

"Well," Booth said in a thoughtful tone, "we could look over in Virginia. Alexandria has some very nice neighborhoods." 

" Alexandria?" Brennan repeated. "Yes. There are some very nice houses over there. But are you sure you want to move to Virginia? I know you like to be close to Parker and moving to another state . . ."

"Bones, it's only Virginia," he interrupted with a grin, "less than ten minutes away. It's not that far. Besides, Rebecca has also been thinking about moving."

"Really?" she asked, surprised but interested, "how come?"

"Well," Booth answered, as he leaned back on the couch and adjusted his pants; the conversation had calmed him somewhat, but hadn't erased all the effects of the earlier embrace. "Parker is starting Middle School next year and while the elementary school he went to was okay, she thinks it'd be a good idea if he goes to a better school system, and the ones in Virginia are better."

"What do you think?" Brennan asked, as she shifted and leaned her elbow on the back of the couch and laid her head in her hand.

"I think," he answered easily, having already given the matter much thought, "that she has a point. Parker needs to have a good, solid academic foundation to be able to get into a good college and for that he needs to attend a good high school. Unfortunately, the ones in the District aren't that good, and if he's going to change high schools then he might as well change schools now. It'd make it easier on him, both academically and socially."

"You're probably right," she agreed, with a nod, "but what would Rebecca think of Alexandria? Would she really move there just because we do?"

" Alexandria has one of the best public school systems in the area," Booth answered, with a shrug, "it's actually at the top of her list. Whether she can move soon, that's another story. She just signed her lease for another year; she wanted to wait another year before moving."

"But we're not waiting a year, are we?" Brennan asked; characteristically, now that the decision to move in together had been made, she wanted to go ahead and do it, not wait.

"No, we're not waiting," Booth assured her. "My lease is up in a couple of months and you own your apartment. We can put yours up for sale and start looking this Sunday. How does that sound?"

"That sounds fine," she answered.

"And," Booth continued, though he hesitated a bit, "I can talk to Rebecca; if we move before the school year begins, maybe Parker can move in with us until Rebecca can move later on."

"Do you think Rebecca would go along with that?" Brennan asked, leaning forward a little, sounding very interested.

"I don't know," Booth shrugged, "I think so. I know she really wants Parker to have the best education possible. It won't be easy; he's always lived with her and she won't be happy not living with him. But she wants what's best for him and if she knows that he'll have that, living with us, she'll agree to it."

"She is a good mother," she agreed, "and it's not like she would be giving him up for good; Alexandria is pretty close and she can still see him pretty often."

"Exactly," he nodded, "but what about you?"

"What do you mean, what about me?" she asked, confused.

"Well," Booth answered, as he shifted forward. "You won't only be living with me but with an eleven year old."

"Yes," she agreed, still sounding somewhat confused, "but it's not just any eleven year old. It's Parker. You know, I love him."

"Yes, I know," he repeated, "and he loves you, but living with an eleven year old is different from having him only on the weekends" he explained.

"Well, of course it's different," she agreed, "just like it'll be different living with you."

"Right," he said, "and you're sure you know what that means?"

"What living with you?" she asked with a grin, "well, I'm sure it won't all be fun and games. You can be quite annoying when you want."

"Funny, Bones," he said with a smile, "very funny, and you can be quite trying yourself. But I was talking about whether you knew what living with Parker would mean? Getting him up in the morning, and ready to go to school; leaving work at a decent hour to pick him up after school and giving him dinner and making sure he's done his homework. It will be a major life change, Bones, and I want to make sure you know what it means before we do anything."

"I know that, Booth" Brennan said, sounding offended, "I'm not an idiot, of course living with you and Parker would mean a change in how I live. I knew that when I said I'd move in with you. A suggestion, by the way, that was yours and you convinced me. Have you changed your mind? Do you want me to change mine?"

"No, of course not," Booth denied "I just . . ."

"You just what?" she insisted "what is going on, Booth?"

"I . . ." he sighed deeply, and raked his fingers through his hair. He hadn't wanted to get into this, had actually thought that there would be no need to talk about it. They had already discussed most of their issues and he didn't really want to open up another can of worms, but he should have known he couldn't ignore this. It involved Parker, after all, and his son's well being superceded any other concern.

"Remember when you said that I wasn't the only one you pushed away these last few months?" he finally asked her.

"Yes," she answered, "I also pushed away Angela."

"Yes, and Parker," he stated quietly, and had her looking at him with wide eyes, "I'm not telling you this to make you feel bad," he hastened to add, when he saw the distress in her eyes, "but the past three months haven't been easy on anyone, Parker included. He had gotten used to you being around; besides Rebecca, you're the only woman that has been a consistent presence in his life. When Parker was born, I decided that I wasn't going to have an endless parade of women in and out of his life. That would only confuse him and set a bad example, so you're the only one I've introduced him to."

"He didn't meet any of your other girlfriends?" Brennan asked, surprised, "not Tess or Cam?"

"No," Booth answered, "I never felt comfortable enough with either of them. Well, the thing with Cam was never serious and we both knew that."

"And Tess?" she pressed, "according to Angela and her stages of relationships, you two were pretty serious."

"Angela's not always right, you know," Booth denied, "and anyway, that's not the point."

"Then what is the point?" she asked, pretty sure she wasn't going to like the point.

"The point is," he said, as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, "that I wasn't the only one that missed you, I wasn't the only one that felt it when you pulled away. Parker didn't understand what was happening and as kids tend to do, he wondered if he had done something to make you stop coming around."

"He did?" Brennan asked, feeling horrible, "I never meant to . . ."

"I know, you didn't," Booth agreed before she finished, "but . . ."

"But, what?" now it was her turn to interrupt, "that doesn't change the fact that I all but abandoned him."

"Well," Booth argued, "abandoned is perhaps, too strong a word."

"No, it's not," she disagreed "it's exactly the right word. I can't believe that after everything I've been through, I did to Parker, the same thing that my parents did to me."

"No," Booth said, shaking his head, "you didn't; this was completely different."

"Yes, you're right, it was," Brennan, agreed with a small nod, "they at least thought they were acting in my and Russ's best interests. I, on the other hand, didn't even think of how my actions were affecting Parker."

"Bones," he said, but she wasn't listening.

"No, I can't . . . what was I thinking? But that's the point, isn't it? I wasn't really thinking. I can't believe you'd even want me to be around him anymore . . ."

"Temperance!" Booth finally called loudly, and caught her attention, "you didn't abandon Parker. Ok, you were . . . absent for a while," he added, when she opened her mouth to protest. "But that was because you were scared and made a mistake. We all make those."

"A mistake?" she repeated. "Booth, I probably traumatized that kid for life!"

"No, you didn't," he denied with a grin, "kids are very resilient, Bones. Sure, he was confused and hurt, but seeing you tonight, spending time with you, changed that. He knows you love him and he trusts you when you said that you won't disappear like that again."

"I do love him, you know," she agreed quietly. "I realized tonight that I love him as if he were my own."

"I know," he said, with a beautiful smile, showing how delighted he was at her admission.

"At first it was because he was yours, but now I love him because, he's him; he's just such a great kid," she added, thoughtfully.

"Yes, he is," Booth said with the same wide smile, "and that's in part because of you."

"Me?" she asked, "no, it's you and Rebecca; you both have done a great job with him."

"For the last four years," he argued, "you've had as much influence over him as I have. And you've been great and that's why I want you around him and I'm not worried about it at all. You were scared," he repeated, "and that led you to act somewhat . . . irrationally. But I know you, and I know you wouldn't do anything like that again. I didn't mention it because I was worried, but, because I just need to be sure that you know what living with me and Parker means. I trust you, Bones, with my love and with my son, but I just have to be sure that you are sure, you understand?"

"Yes," Brennan answered, after looking into his eyes for a few seconds. "He's your son and you have to be sure that he's going to be taken care of. That's what makes you such a good father," she told him and then paused for a minute before continuing, slowly but firmly, "I am sure, Booth. I love you and Parker, so much, and there's nothing I want more than to live with both of you. I know that moving in with you guys will mean a lot of changes in both our lives; but you're right, we're ready for them. And you know what else," she added as the thought crystallized in her mind, "I am really looking forward to them, too. For once in my life, I want to enjoy the now and look forward to tomorrow, without worrying about what could go wrong – because, as long as we're together, we can overcome anything."

"Yes, we can," he agreed with a wide grin, as he pulled her to him. "Now, come here."

"Where?" she asked, laughing, as she fell into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Here?"

"Ummm," Booth answered, "yes, right here," he murmured, as he slid his hand onto her neck and pulled her face into his. He then proceeded to kiss her long and deep. When oxygen once again demanded they part, he started to kiss his way down her neck, as she leaned back to give him more space. She raked her fingers through his hair, as she enjoyed Booth's kisses. When he reached her shirt and started to unbutton it, she pulled back and asked, "don't you think we should move this to the bedroom?" She turned her head in the direction of Parker's room and added, "what if Parker comes out? We wouldn't want him to watch something he shouldn't, would we?"

"No," Booth said, as he stood up with Brennan in his arms. "We wouldn't, and you're worried about how you'll do with Parker? Bones, you're already thinking like a mom."

"I am?" she asked, sounding surprised, but happy about the fact.

"Yes, you are," he answered, as he kicked his bedroom door closed. "But as much as I like this side of you," he told her, as he gently put her down on the bed, and laid down alongside her, "do you think you could go back to being the sex kitten you can be when the bedroom door is closed? I've really missed her," he added, with a smirk.

"Oh, you want the sex kitten, huh?" she purred, as she slid her hands up his chest and around his neck, bringing his face down to hers to kiss him. "Well, here she is," she whispered, as their lips were almost touching. She then hooked her right leg around his hip and flipped him onto his back.

"Yep, here you are," he agreed, with a grin, as he brought her lips down to his. His hands then ran down her back and when he reached her waist, he pulled up her shirt and snaked his hands underneath it until he got to her bra, which he immediately unsnapped.

"You have very nice hands," she commented, as she pulled back a bit and started to unbutton his shirt. "And very fast fingers," she added with a grin as she leaned down to kiss the skin she was uncovering.

"Thank you," he said, and then gasped as she licked his nipple. "You have very soft lips," he trailed off in a moan, when she sucked the nipple she'd just licked. He put his hands on her waist and flipped her over. "If you don't mind, I think I want to be on top – at least for a bit." He then pulled back and settled on his haunches over her, with his knees coming to rest on the outside of her hips. He shrugged out of his shirt and threw it on the floor before he quickly finished unbuttoning her shirt. When it was completely open, he put his hand underneath her and pulled her up, so that her shirt and bra slid down her arms.

She shook them off and threw them across the room, before laying back down and trying to pull him back down on top of her. He resisted and moved down to unzip and unhook her pants, before he stripped them and her panties off. In seconds, she was lying naked before him.

"Yes," he repeated in a whisper, "I have missed you. I've missed the sight of you," as he ran his eyes up and down her naked body. He then leaned forward and kissed her lips, her chin and started to run kisses down her torso, until he reached her breasts. He rubbed his cheek along her breast and nipple, "the feel of you."

He ran his hands along her sides, as he moved down her body. When his hands reached her knees, he parted them, and put her legs on either side of him. He ran his hand on the inside of her legs until he reached the apex. He then reached forward and took a deep breath, "the smell of you."

His fingers caressed the sensitive skin at the top of her legs, before they slowly and gently, pulled her lower lips apart. "The taste of you," he said, before he leaned forward and licked her from end to end.

"Oh, God yes, Seeley!!" She moaned, and threw her head back, as the delicious sensations his expert touch created, coursed through her body.

"The sound of your sexy moans," he stopped licking her long enough to whisper before returning to her warm center.

One of her hands went into his hair, to hold his head in place, and the other fisted the blankets, as the sensations reached their peak. "Oh, yes! Seeley, yes oh, God, yes, yes!!"

"Yum," he said, with a grin, when his head came up from between her legs. "Mine, all mine," he declared, as he swiped his tongue across his lips and ran a possessive glance across her body.

Brennan was a strong, independent woman who did not really believe in the concept of one person owning another, but when he looked at her like that, especially after having 'kissed' her like he just had, well, she really didn't have it in her to complain. And she had to admit, the idea of Booth belonging only to her, definitely had its appeal.

"Well," she said as she brought her hands to his shoulders. "If I'm yours then you're mine," and with that she pushed him to his back and climbed on top of him. She bent forward and licked his lips before pulling his lower lip and nibbling on it while her fingers were busy unhooking and unzipping his pants.

When his pants were unzipped, she pushed them down his hips and kept pushing them down farther, as she slithered down his body, kissing, licking and nibbling his chest. She used her feet to push the pants all the way off and then kicked them off the bed. She ran her hands back up his legs, to his waist, and grabbed a hold of his underwear and started to pull it down slowly and carefully. Her mouth followed his shorts, and his hips arched, and he moaned the closer her mouth got to his groin.

As she reached his fully erect cock, she raised her eyes up his body, and locked them with his, as she extended her tongue out and slowly licked him as if he were a lollipop. He groaned louder and fisted his hands in her hair and she opened her mouth and took him all the way in. He involuntarily arched his hips as she sucked him deeply and pushed his shorts the rest of the way down.

After a few deep thrusts with her mouth, she drew back and with a last lick at the head, she started to kiss her way up his body. After all, she didn't really want him to explode before he got inside her. She finally reached his mouth and after peppering kisses on his lips, she sank her tongue deep into his mouth and intertwined with his.

As he returned the kiss wholeheartedly, he ran his hands down her back, to the top of her legs and pulled her thighs so that she was straddling him. When his hands moved to take a hold of her ass, Brennan tightened her legs around his thighs and sucked his tongue deep into her mouth, mimicking how their bodies would soon be joining.

Booth used his hold on her ass, to move her hips, so that his cock slid in between her vaginal lips, wetting it with her juices. After a few rubs, he moved her hips again and positioned himself at her entrance. As she felt him begin to enter her, she pulled back from the kiss and looked into his eyes, as she lowered herself down, and his cock filled her to the hilt, in one smooth thrust.

"Yes! Please! Fuck me," she hissed, while he whispered, "Oh, Shit!! Temperance!!"

She put her hands on his shoulders and pushed up until she was sitting on him. She raked her fingers down his chest and back up, stopping when she reached his nipples to tweak them, making him groan and tighten his hands on her ass to pull her up and down at a faster pace. When she leaned her hands on his stomach and took up the rhythm he wanted, he moved his hands to her breasts and kneaded them as he pinched her nipples, making her throw her head back and cry out, "Yes, harder, harder. Oh, please!!"

"God, you're beautiful," he rasped, as he leaned forward, and pulled her right nipple into his mouth, nipping it and then sucking it hard.

"Yes, Seeley! Please, please. God," she cried out, as one of her hands moved to the back of his head and fisted in his hair to hold it in place.

Booth pulled his mouth away, as he tightened his other arm around her waist, and flipped her onto her back once more.

"Yes!! Faster, please, harder! God, Seeley!!" She cried out when he leaned one of his hands by her shoulder and increased the pace of his thrusts.

"Yes, yes," he chanted, as the hand that had been kneading her breast moved to tilt her head back and he leaned in to kiss her deep and hard. The kiss became deeper and deeper as his hips thrust faster and harder. As the intensity reached its peak, Brennan's orgasm exploded through her body making her milk Booth's cock until, he too, exploded and spent his seed deep inside her.

As the last spasm raked through their bodies, Booth pulled back and whispered, "I love you," as his body settled on top of hers.

"I love you too," she whispered, as her body came down and she brought her arms around his shoulders. A few minutes later, Booth moved to the side so that she'd be able to breath and they both shifted until they could pull the sheet and blanket over them.

Brennan yawned and turned on her side, before scooting backwards, and Booth put his arm across her waist, pulling her into his body, until her back was snug into his chest and they were spooning.

"I'm tired," she said, sleepily as her hand came to rest on top of the hand he had around her waist.

"Me too," he replied and moved his top leg over her hip, pushing her ass into his groin.

"It's been a long day," she murmured, and he could tell she was falling asleep.

"Yes, it has," he agreed, as he kissed her shoulder. "Let's go to sleep," he suggested and the soft snore coming from her informed him she hadn't needed the suggestion. With a soft smile and pulling her more firmly against his body, Booth settled his head onto the pillow and allowed sleep to claim him too.


	11. Epilogue

**Breaking Point**

**Disclaimer: **Nope, they're still not mine.

**A/N**: So, this is it. The last chapter of Breaking Point. It's a bit sad, isn't it? But, it was time. I did what I set out to do. I found Booth's breaking point and had Brennan fix it and then wrote some fluff and even some smut. So, now it's time to end it. I mean the story is called 'Breaking Point' and we're past that, don't you think? Don't worry, though. I'm planning on a prequel, to see how they got here and then a sequel to see where they go from here. What do you think? Please, let me know!!! Enjoy!

**Chapter 11: Epilogue**

"Here you go, buddy," Booth said, as he put down a plate of chocolate chip pancakes in front of Parker, the next morning. "Enjoy." 

"Thanks dad," Parker said, as he looked up at Booth, with a grin, before he tackled his breakfast.

Booth's grin and hand, which he had raised to ruffle Parker's hair, halted in mid motion. 'Dad?' when did he stop being 'daddy' and become 'dad'? When did his little boy turn into a big boy?

With a sigh, he turned and went back to the stove. It seemed like it was only yesterday he was carrying Parker around and changing his diapers, or watching him take his first steps and come running towards him crying 'daddy'. But now it was no longer Barney, Dora the Explorer or Blue's Clues, but Yu Gi Oh, Pokemon or Sponge Bob; he no longer played with legos or coloring books, now it was soccer and chapter books that were part of a series.

His boy was growing up and he was _not_ ready for it. He wasn't ready to give up the little boy that ran around after him yelling 'daddy' and wanted to be picked up and cuddled. He was so engrossed in his nostalgic musings, that he didn't notice when Brennan entered the kitchen, until he heard Parker say, "Good morning, Doctor Bones."

"Good morning Parker," Brennan said, as she ruffled his hair and leaned in to kiss him. "How did you sleep?"

"Great!" Parker answered, with a chocolate covered smile, "you?"

"Oh, I had a very . . . enjoyable night," Brennan answered, and winked at Booth as she walked over to kiss him good morning. "Morning," she murmured, as she reached up to kiss him.

"Morning," Booth murmured back, as he returned the kiss.

"Ummm," she said, as she turned to look at the kitchen, "eggs, bacon and pancakes. Someone's hungry this morning," she commented, as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"Yes, well, you know, I had a very enjoyable night too," Booth told her with a naughty grin. Brennan grinned back and reached out to grab a piece of bacon. "Go sit and I'll bring you your plate."

"Ok, thank you," Brennan said, as she leaned forward to give him another kiss.

Booth grinned back and turned back to the food. He couldn't help but overhear the conversation between the two most important people in his life or shake his head as their conversation invariably turned to school and books. Who would have thought that his son would be on the verge of becoming a squint? Then again, like he'd told Bones last night, she's had as much influence over Parker in the last four years as he and Rebecca had.

At least he wasn't turning into a scientific squint because, as much as Parker looked up to Bones and even though he asked science questions every now and then, he was much more interested in history and literature. In fact, at the last parent-teacher meeting, Parker's English teacher had told him and Rebecca that, based on his papers, Parker was showing indications of being very creative and could turn out to be a writer.

That was something else Brennan and Parker had in common and why Booth rarely interfered when she bought him books, even if Booth thought she was going somewhat overboard.

He was thinking about how well the two of them got along, when he turned around and saw them with their heads together, giggling. It hit him like a blow to his solar plexus; these were the two people he loved most in the world, his family and pretty soon, he might be waking up to a similar sight every morning. The only thing that would make it better would be if, next to Brennan there was a little girl, with her hair and eyes.

He knew she didn't want kids and, he was happy with it being just them and Parker but, he couldn't deny that he would love to have a baby with Brennan; a little girl that was as smart as her mother and as good with people as her father; a little girl that was half him and half her. But he loved Brennan just as she was and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, whether they had kids or not. As much as he would love a child with Brennan, he already had a son he loved very much and for whom he thanked God every day.

"Booth?" Brennan called, bringing him back to the here and now, "are you about done with the food?" she asked with a grin, when she saw him just standing there.

"Ah, yes, yes, I am," he answered, after a small shake of his head. With a grin, he walked towards the table and sat down to eat an enjoyable breakfast with his son and the love of his life.

---------------

"Here we are," Booth said, as he turned off the ignition and turned to look at the two people in the car. "What do you think?"

"It looks beautiful," Brennan answered, as she looked around the park through the car windows. "Very quiet, though."

"Yes," Booth agreed, as he leaned his arms on the steering wheel and looked out the windshield. "It's pretty secluded; not a lot of people know about it. It's part of what makes it such a great place."

"I can see that," Brennan nodded, as she released her seat belt and opened her door.

"Well, come on, buddy," Booth said, as he turned his head to look at Parker. "Let's go have some fun."

"Yay!" Parker said, as he hurried to undo his seat belt and jump out of the car. He then turned around and pulled his backpack. Brennan shook her head as she saw him struggle with it and reached out to help him get it on. She knew that it was filled with two of his new books, his Gameboy advance, with at least four different games, a notepad and pens, a deck of cards, a portable DVD player and some movies. She didn't know why he thought he'd use all of those things but had learned to let him be when it came to these type of decisions.

"There you go, Par," she told him, as she ruffled his hair.

"Thanks, Dr. Bones," he told her, as he shot her a grin over his shoulder, and then hurried to the back of the car, as Booth called out, "a little help here, Bones."

"Coming," she called back, with a grin and a roll of her eyes. When she got there, she took the blanket and the wicker picnic basket that Booth had insisted on buying for the occasion. Parker took the soccer ball, Frisbee and the fishing poles.

"Can you take the tackle box?" Booth asked, when he saw Parker trying to pick it up and he picked up the cooler filled with the drinks and the desserts.

"Sure," she said, as she reached forward and picked it up.

"Well," Booth said, as he slammed shut the SUV's trunk door, "lead on, McDuff."

Brennan looked at him with a confused face while Parker just ran ahead of them. "I'll explain later," Booth told her, in a low voice, as they followed the running boy to a patch of grass close to a beautiful tree.

"Is this ok?" Parker asked, as he skidded to a halt under the tree's shadows.

"Yes," Brennan said, as she too stopped and put down the picnic basket and the tackle box, "this is perfect." She unfolded the blanket and spread it on the grass before setting the basket on one corner and the tackle box on another.

"So," Booth said, as he clapped his hands and rubbed them together, as he looked at Brennan kneeling down on the blanket and at Parker putting his backpack down. "What shall we do first? Eat?"

"Eat?" Brennan asked, incredulous. "We just had breakfast!!" she protested.

"Just?" he asked her. "Bones, breakfast was two hours ago!!"

"Yes," she agreed with wide eyes. "Two hours ago, you can't be hungry again."

"There's nothing that says I _can't_ be hungry," he argued. "And I'm not really hungry, but I could eat."

"Of course you can eat," Brennan said, with a nod. "You can always eat! But I think it might be better if we wait a bit before eating, don't you think?"

"Oh, alright," Booth gave in, with a slight frown. "We'll eat later. Parker, you want to do some fishing?"

"I think I'd rather kick the ball around a bit, dad," Parker said, as he started to play with the soccer ball.

"Ok, then soccer it is," Booth agreed, sending the ball back to Parker before turning to look at Brennan. "You coming, Bones?"

"What?" She asked, as she looked up from where she was getting her book out of her bag; she hadn't even realized that though she didn't have any games in her bag, Parker may well have gotten the idea of carrying a backpack from her. "You want me to play soccer?"

"Yes," Booth said with a nod. "We're here to spend the day together and have fun. So, come on," he urged, as he did some fancy moves with the soccer ball.

"Yes, come on, DB," Parker said, as he pulled her up.

"DB?" she asked him, as she allowed herself to be pulled.

"Yeah," Parker told her with a grin. "It's my new nickname for you, what do you think? You like it?"

"Well," she said, as she looked at Booth, who just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, letting her know she was on her own. She frowned at him before she turned to Parker with a smile, "What does it mean? And what happened to Dr. Bones?" Almost against her will, she'd gotten used to it.

"Oh, I still use it," Parker told her, as they followed Booth a few feet away from the blanket. "DB, it's the initials of _D_octor _B_ones, see. What do you think?" he asked again, with a grin. "I'd still be the only one that calls you that."

"Yes," she agreed, as she shared a bemused glance with Booth. "Yes, you'd still be the only one to call me that. Are you sure that's what you'd like to call me?"

"Yes," Parker answered with a nod and then added. "Well, sometimes. Sometimes, I'll still call you Dr. Bones. I'm just thinking of new nicknames. Dr. Bones just sounds like it comes from a little kid, you know?"

"Well," Brennan told him with a small smile, "I'll love whatever you come up with because you came up with it." When Parker ran after the ball Booth had just kicked, she turned to Booth with wide eyes. "Sounds like it comes from a _little_ kid? Where did that come from?"

"Our little boy is growing up, Bones," Booth told her, with a shrug and a small, sad smile, "faster than we'd like perhaps, but, that's the way of things."

"Growing up?" she repeated, as she turned to watch Parker run back with the soccer ball. "Yes," she agreed, with a sad smile of her own, "he's growing up." And for a minute, the image of the 11 year old was lost, when the image of the five year old she'd known was superimposed on it. Her trip down memory lane was interrupted when she felt the soccer ball hit her legs.

With a shake of her head, she tried to dispel the memories and concentrate on the game. For the next forty minutes, she ran around after the soccer ball trying to catch it and score goals. Since Booth was bigger then both Brennan and Parker, it had been decided that it'd be them against Booth. They had designated two goal posts and the game had been heavily contested. Well, heavily contested by Booth and Parker, Brennan had no idea what she was doing except running around behind the ball like a headless chicken that had no idea where it was going. At the end, she and Parker won, because Brennan had no problem using, her no longer newly acquired, feminine wiles, while Parker used his puppy dog eyes just as well as his father used his charm smile. Booth had no defense against either of them.

After she and Parker had declared themselves the winners, she had begged off another round and had gone to sit, rest, and read while Booth and Parker decided to play with the Frisbee. But the reading had not gone really well because she kept getting distracted by the laughs of the two Booth men and she kept losing track of time watching them play with each other. She loved to see them have fun together and there really wasn't any sweeter sound to her ears than hearing them laugh.

A Frisbee knocking her book back made her look up in time to see both of her men drop down onto the blanket with identical grins.

"Yes?" she asked them, as she put the Frisbee and her book away, "was there something you wanted?"

"We're hungry," they both said in unison.

"You think it's been long enough from breakfast now that we can eat?" Booth asked her, wearing his classic charm smile.

"Yes, Dr. Bones," Parker agreed, with his own version of the charm smile. "Please, can we eat now, pretty please?"

"Yes, ok," Brennan granted with a laugh. "There's no reason for the charm smiles, guys. It's time for lunch now."

"Yay!!" both child and man cried, as they shared victorious grins and high fives and Brennan just shook her head, as she reached for the picnic basket and started to bring out the food.

Booth reached for the cooler and brought out drinks for everyone. He tossed Parker his drink and handed Brennan hers while he took the plate Brennan had filled for him. The next half hour was spent eating and talking about nothing and everything. In short, it was a regular family picnic – which they would have recognized, if they had ever had one of those before. They all had a great time and agreed that they should do it more often.

Two hours later, Booth dropped down next to Brennan and reached for a cold drink. Fishing could make one very thirsty when done under a hot sun. He turned to look at Brennan and opened his mouth to make a wise ass crack, when he noticed the look on her face.

"Penny for your thoughts," he said instead, as he brought his drink to his lips.

"Huh?" Brennan said, as she brought her gaze to his face.

"It means . . ." he started to say but she interrupted him.

"I know what it means, Booth" she told him "and I was just thinking about what you said earlier."

"Ummm, what did I say?" he asked, as he stretched on his side and leaned on his left arm, as he followed her gaze to where Parker was back to playing with the ball.

"About Parker growing up," she told him, as she leaned closer to him. "You're right; he's growing way too fast for my liking."

"Yes, he is," Booth agreed, as he brought his right hand up to play with her hair. "But that's life. Kids grow up and parents have to let them."

"Yes, well, that may be," she told him "But I don't like it."

"No," he said with a laugh. "I don't like it, either."

"You remember that trip we took up to your friend's cabin," she asked him a few minutes later, after they'd watched Parker play in silence. "About the time we got together."

"Yes," Booth said, with a grin, as he remembered that time. "It was a great two weeks."

"Yes, they were," she agreed with a sigh. "I was just remembering how much he's grown since that time and thinking that maybe it'd be nice if we could go back there. We haven't spent much time together and maybe a couple of weeks away would do us all good."

Booth looked down at her with a huge grin and said, "That sounds like a great idea. I'll call my buddy and set it up. When do you think you can get away?"

"Next week," she told him.

"I'll talk to Rebecca tomorrow, when I talk to her about Parker moving in with us. This is his summer vacation, so I don't think it'll be a problem."

"You still think she'll be ok with him moving in with us?" she asked him, with a worried frown.

"I think so, yeah," he told her, with a sigh. "She won't be happy but I think she'll agree it's the best thing."

"Maybe," she told him, tentatively. "It might be a better idea if they went away together. I mean, if he'll be moving in with us, it might be a good idea if they get to spend some time together."

"I'm sure she'll do that," he told her, nodding his head. "But that doesn't mean we can't also."

"Yes," Brennan said, as she made herself more comfortable. "So, you think we can leave next week?"

"I don't see why not," Booth answered her. "We both have vacation time coming. We can look for houses tomorrow and during the week. If we don't find anything we can still look when we come back."

"That sounds good," she agreed. After she leaned in and gave him a quick kiss, she settled back onto his chest and both turned to look at Parker and think about how life would be after they all finally started living as the family they were.

**The End**.

Until the Sequel: Turning Point, but before that look for the Prequel: Starting Point.


End file.
